You can't make this stuff up

So with the pay raises on hold for the time-being we have the news of Suozzi's 2005 budget. On the face it looks pretty good with a few fee increases. There are no tax increases included so us taxpayers can breath a sigh of relief. Everybody should be happy.
Everybody except the resident contrarian Peter Schmitt.
What does Pete think of the new budget? He tells Newsday, ABC Ch. 7, News12 and anyone who will listen "How can he say happy days are here again and the fiscal crisis is over ... and know full well there's going to be property tax increases?"
So Pete, are you going to vote for new property tax increases? Why do you think they are inevitable? Oh yeah, the 90% pay raise you want has to come from somewhere.
Ed Ward the $80,000/year part-time spokesperson for Schmitt adds in the NYTimes "The fiscal crisis is not nearly as over as he would like,"
Of course it isn't fully over yet as Suozzi said "The phony budgets and one-shot revenues - that crisis is behind us," BUT "The problem Nassau County faces now is the problem facing all of the counties of New York. Revenues are not growing but expenses are growing ... When you look at the long term, the only choices are raise new revenues or cut programs."


This all comes back to the raises for us. Schmitt wants his 90% raise and says Nassau is still having problems. The sad thing is he doesn't seem to make a connection.

Schmitt tells the NYTimes "The county is flush right now....We ought to give some of this back to the taxpayers." Yeah Pete and maybe just a little off the top for you to a tune of $30,000 more a year in you paycheck.