Facing a “a historic economic challenge” not seen since Great Depression, New York Gov. David Paterson (D) Jan. 7 called on Congress to enact a large fiscal stimulus package by the end of January, while asking lawmakers to expand health care coverage at the state level.
"The state of our state is perilous," Paterson told a newly Democratic-controlled Legislature, as the party last November seized control of the Senate for the first time since 1964. The state, which gets about 20 percent of its revenue from Wall Street, saw its budget deficit grow by $60 million every day from mid-August to mid-December, Paterson said.
The hour-long remarks were Paterson’s first state of the state speech since taking over for Eliot Spitzer who resigned last March in a sex scandal. Typically, the address is a preview to the governor’s budget, but Paterson released his 2010-11 fiscal plan in December so that lawmakers could start grappling with the state’s $15.4 billion deficit.
On health care, Paterson said he would ask the federal government to allow the state to expand eligibility for its “Family Health Plus” to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, thus expanding access to coverage to an additional 400,000 New Yorkers. He also wants to expand to 29 from 19 the age young adults can remain on their parents' health insurance policies.
To combat obesity, Paterson wants to ban trans fats in restaurants, require calorie postings in chain restaurants and ban junk food sales in schools. He reiterated his ‘fat tax” proposal to place a surcharge on sugared beverages such as soda.
Paterson also unveiled ambitious clean energy goals, aiming by 2015 to meet 45 percent of the state’s electricity needs through energy efficiency and renewable energy.
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