Mayor Bloomberg “saved” this dummy yesterday — but can he save New Yorkers from the real dummies in Albany?
Moments after expertly performing CPR on a $70,000 high-tech mannequin that the city plans to use to train doctors and nurses, Bloomberg drew blood from state lawmakers who are doing nothing while the budget is on life support.
“At least our governor is trying to do something,” Bloomberg said in response to reporters’ questions after he announced plans for a medical training center to open next fall at Jacobi Hospital in The Bronx.
“It’s the Legislature that’s not doing anything. It’s taking this state careening towards — states can’t go bankrupt — but running out of money,” the mayor added.
Bloomberg also urged the public to contact their local lawmakers on behalf of Gov. Paterson’s $3 billion-plus budget-reduction efforts, saying, “They’re the ones who should be doing this, and they refuse to address the issue.”
Bloomberg, who has emerged as one of Paterson’s chief defenders in the budget battle, urged lawmakers to “cut the guy a break” and to end “this craziness and address the issues.”
Meanwhile, Paterson last night abruptly broke off budget-crisis talks with the Legislature, claiming they were going nowhere, and announced that he now would move on his own to close the state’s deficit.
Paterson, who has repeatedly warned that the state was on the verge of running out of cash, said he had ordered his Budget Division to begin holding back aid payments to local governments and school districts “to ensure the state has enough cash to meet obligations through the end of the fiscal year.”
“I have given the Legislature more than enough time to join with me to address this crisis,” said Paterson, who appeared to surprise lawmakers by breaking off the talks.
“If the Legislature won’t stand up for the people of New York because they’re worried about the next election, then I will on my own.
“Negotiations with legislative leaders on a deficit reduction plan concluded this afternoon,” he said.
The governor’s statement came just a few hours after the leaders of the Legislature presented him with what they called a $2.8 billion plan to cut state spending.
But Paterson said the plan only amounted to $600 million to $700 million “in real spending reductions” once his own plan to cut spending by $1.6 billion — and a variety of gimmicks — was factored in.
Senate Democratic leaders accused the governor of posturing and claimed a budget deal could be announced as soon as today.