There He Goes Again

From the 5/20/05 Long Island Press:
Schmitt had some funny things to say.

"Taxing Tom Suozzi and his Ten Little Indians in the legislature think what’s happening is fine 1,” boomed Legislative Minority Leader Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa). “But,” he went on, “we have seen their plan for Nassau County, and it’s a disaster.”2

Schmitt condemned the Democratic majority for raising property taxes3, increasing countywide spending4 and cutting the number of police officers on the street 5 –all to shouts of support from the crowd."6

Gee, where do we start.

1) Nassau County is recovering and doing better than when Schmitt was in charge.
2) The plan for Nassau County is not let the fiscal malfeasence of Schmitt and his republican cronies bankrupt the county.
3) Property taxes were raised 3 years ago. 19%. That's it. Without the increase, the county would have been taken over by a control board. Schmitt in 2001 said about NIFA if they take over; "A control board would slash programs to balance the budget," he [Schmitt] warned and added that if a control board does eventually take over, "you can’t vote them out of office if you dislike their decisions."
4) Countywide spending only increased with non-discretionary spending. Schmitt knows what that is. He spoke about it back in 2001.
The story says "Schmitt later said that 75 percent of what the County spends is mandated. And the County, he reminded the audience, does not receive the lion’s share of its residents’ property tax dollar. Sixty-five cents goes to the school district, nineteen cents goes to the County and fourteen-cents goes to the Town, explained Schmitt."
5) There was never a "cut" in the police force. That's an outright lie. Schmitt can' help himself. Because of Schmitt's mishandling of county finances, there wasn't enough money to replase retiring officers. Schmitt knows this but willingly lies.
6) Isn't it sad that republicans applaud lies?