Here in NY State, we still don’t have a budget (which, in theory, is due on April 1st every year, but has only been on time once since 1983, I think). What that means (aside from the fact that schools and municipalities have no idea how much state aid to expect, so they can’t budget accurately) that the Governor submits a temporary emergency budget bill every once in a while, and the legislature can either vote it up or down (but always up, because the alternative means shutting down state government). So, anyway, in his next emergency bill, our Governor is including a one day a week furlough for state employees who aren’t considered “essential” (or who aren’t management toadies). State unions are pretty powerful, but voting down the budget means the state wouldn’t have the authority to spend money after May 9th. So, could be I’ll be getting an extra day off every week for a while (which would amount to a 20% pay cut). Pretty hard to make that up in office supplies, but I’ll do my best.

Of course, if they shut down the government instead, I don’t know how things will work. I believe there was a time a long time ago when they paid people in “vouchers” that some banks were kind enough to honor. Or maybe they’ll just shut down every hospital and state agency, the SUNY system, the State DOT, you name it. That’s really what I’d prefer. State employees are always easy targets when times get tough because of mismanagement at the legislative level. Let “the people” see what it’s like when we aren’t there doing our jobs every day.

Our current fiscal problems are a direct result of George Pataki cutting taxes for rich people and reducing pension contributions for state and local municipalities when times were good. The comptroller at the time (H. Carl McCall) warned him that the good times would end and he needed to put some money away, but that’s not how the short-sighted and ignorant Republicans roll. So, here we are.

Speaking of short-sighted and ignorant, Papa John Boehner and Mary Landrieu want to double down on offshore oil drilling. I mean, all that oil washing up on shore and killing wildlife just means we need more oil to make up for it. Drill baby, drill.

It’s Cinco de Mayo everywhere but Arizona, where it’s “Muestre mis sus documentos” day. Actually every day is documentos day in Arizona.

I say, celebrate fifth of May with a fifth of bourbon. Especially if you’re a furloughed state employee.