At least the state isn’t planning to sell a prison to itself.
In 1991, New York “sold” Attica prison to the Urban Development Corp. for $200 million to help balance the budget.
The move, which saddled taxpayers with about $490 million in long-term debt, epitomized what was termed “back-door borrowing,” and became a symbol for the state’s profligate ways.
None of the budget-balancing measures that Gov. David Paterson put forth last week appear to rise to that level of gimmickry. But a number of items in Paterson’s plan to close a $3 billion deficit by March 31 rely on assumptions that aren’t sure bets, or represent one-time moves that one observer compared to searching for grocery money under the couch cushions.
Here’s a look at some of the cost-savers, and how they’ll be paid for…
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