Governor's budget draws 'fairly good' assessment

"A fairly good-news budget" was the description offered by Catholic officials for Gov. George Pataki's 2004 executive budget, announced last week.

"We're cautiously optimistic about the budget," said Dennis Poust, director of communications for the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the bishops of New York State in matters of public policy.

Mr. Poust noted that in most areas of concern to the Church, the budget plans were positive; in areas where cuts are planned, the Conference hopes that negotiations with legislators can restore funding.

Positive steps

Pro-lifers found particular encouragement on two fronts: Gov. Pataki budgeted $1.3 million for the Maternity and Early Childhood Foundation (MECF); and the current $2.6 million spent on sexual abstinence programs for youth was maintained.

The Catholic Conference also applauded the Governor's plan to give a small increase to the mandated services budget for schools, allowing schools to regain extra funds spent in previous years on remedial help for students.

AIDS services were a prominent issue in Gov. Pataki's budget address, with $3 billion in funding planned. Mr. Poust noted that since New York State has one of the highest numbers of HIV and AIDS cases in the country, "this funding is critical to save lives and improve the quality of life" for patients.

Negatives

Medicaid was the hot-button issue for this year's budget. The Catholic Conference joined other officials in expressing disappointment in the Governor's plan to move 234,000 needy children from Medicaid to the Child Health Plus insurance program, which provides a smaller spectrum of healthcare services.

"This was proposed last year as well, and we lobbied against it," Mr. Poust pointed out.

In addition, the director blasted budget plans to decrease Medicaid services for adults, including dental care, audiology, psychology, vision and other benefits. Dental care in particular is already a "compelling need" among the poor, said Mr. Poust, and cutting benefits would only make matters worse.

'Significant hit'

Another 40,000 poor families with a family member who is disabled would also lose benefits in the Governor's budget.

Mr. Poust explained that Gov. Pataki is claiming families who receive both Social Services (SSI) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds are "double-dipping." If the Governor's plan were enacted, a single mother with a disabled child currently receiving $414 a month in TANF benefits would see that money reduced by $164.

"That's a significant hit for people who really don't have anything," Mr. Poust said. While the initiative aims to save the state $9 million, the Catholic Conference believes services to the poor are the wrong ones to cut.

Health care

The director also noted that under Gov. Pataki's budget plan, healthcare institutions would see increases in both taxes and fees that they can "ill afford. The margin at which [New York's] hospitals operate is razor thin."

However, Mr. Poust said the main concern with the nearly $100 billion executive budget was where to find the revenues to pay for it. One idea being advanced in the State Legislature would rewrite the state's property tax laws, taxing nonprofit entities, but this would negatively affect everything from churches to environmental organizations.

Overall, Mr. Poust said he was grateful for the "very cooperative tone" Gov. Pataki set is both his budget address and the State of the State address given earlier this month.

"If that cordiality can be maintained," he noted, "maybe it can be extended to other areas -- particularly reform of the Rockefeller drug laws."

(To read Gov. Pataki's budget address, go to www.state.ny.us. Contact the Catholic Conference at www.nyscatholicconference.org or call 434-6195.)

(1/29/04)