WBNG: Vexed Over Vetoes

Vexed over Vetoes

By WBNG News

Story Created: Jul 8, 2010 at 5:20 PM EDT
Story Updated: Jul 8, 2010 at 6:32 PM EDT

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Binghamton, NY (WBNG Binghamton) In an attempt to try and balance -- and pass -- a state budget, Governor David Paterson has vetoed nearly 7,000 items. That includes millions of dollars for education. There is also a trickle-down to local community groups that might lose some state funding.


Multimedia Watch The Video With the breakdown, here's Action News reporter Matt Markham at the live desk.


It looks like new member items in to the 2010 State Budget are out -- and some of the Governor's vetoes could prevent certain agencies around here from receiving reimbursements of money they were originally planning on.


Now these vetoes include budget items from last year or in earlier years.


When a charity or agency files for state grants, they sign a contract and spend their own money before getting it back later from the state.

Despite the vetoes, several agencies in the Southern Tier are safe. Those include the Humane Society, the Broome County Council of Churches, and SWAT team equipment for the Endicott Police Department. They all signed contracts, spent and received that state money.


Then there are other groups that have signed contracts and are waiting to be reimbursed, like the Johnson City Senior Center and the Broome County Office for Aging. That concerns people like Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo who said she would fight for them to get state money.


Other groups like the Discovery Center, the Zoo at Ross Park, never signed contracts and now it looks like they're out the money. So are Catholic Charities and CHOW, who were hoping to get $20,000 for their food pantries in *this year's budget.


"For us, that actually translates in to 53,000 pounds of food, 6,300 meals, and about 450 people who won't get services, so it's a pretty sizable chunk for us," said Lori Accardi, executive director of Catholic Charities of Broome County.


"Food pantries, senior centers, groups that I thought were very worthy and certainly could have used a break this year. The pantries in particular are a concern," said Donna Lupardo (D -- NYS 126th Assembly)


All of these member items add up to $193 million the State will shave off its expenses. That's part of the larger roughly $800 million that's been cut in the proposed budget...which is still three months late.

http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Vexed-over-Vetoes-98061284.html