Barron, Wife Heckle Cuomo with Chants of "Tax the Rich!"

During Governor Cuomo's speech last night at the Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, Councilman Charles Barron and his wife, Assemblywoman Inez Barron, stormed up the aisle chanting "Tax the rich!" and "Shame on you!" at the governor. Cuomo was forced to stop his speech and, peering out from the podium, inquired, "How are you tonight, Charles?... I don’t see who it is, but I know who it is." Speaking to reporters after the dinner, Cuomo didn't seem shamed into changing his plan to let an income tax surcharge on New Yorkers earning over $200K a year expire.

"I don't believe in increasing taxes," Cuomo said afterward. "I believe it's counterproductive for the state. I believe more people will leave the state and you'll have less revenue." Cuomo's proposed budget would cut $1.5 billion in education aid and $2.8 billion from health care, which the Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators strongly opposes. Before the event, Barron told reporters, "It is cutting us to the bone. Tax the rich. Don't come to the table saying the only thing you're going to do is cut."

Cuomo, the Assembly and Senate must agree on a state budget by April 1st, a deadline they haven't exactly taken too seriously in the past.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on February 21, 2011 11:18 AM

Comments [rss]

random transplant

"I don't believe in increasing taxes," Cuomo said

Excuse me?

America is a secular nation. We (and he) know what needs to be done. Unsubstantiated belief is what got us into this mess.

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BARRON!

stewart_nyc

Someone, please enlighten me? Exactly how much of their income should a rich person be allowed to keep? State it as either a percentage or a dollar amount.

LazyNanny

200k is hardly 'rich' in NY, don't you agree Charlie?

cmdrogogov

comparatively, about $45kpa is 'rich' compared to most people.

200k is definitely to the 'rich' end of 'comfortable' however, even in NYC

Take a dig through some salary figures, but the point is that high earners owe as much to the workers under them as they do to their own efforts. Wealth-based taxes merely represent the fact that their individual requirement-income ratio will mean they suffer less from paying more to those around them, whilst still rewarding them for their efforts/luck/genetic-social background etc. (delete as applicable)

Petey

Charles Barron, the racist and former black panther.

Mordicai

Good for him! I hate that raising taxes has become a unelectable offense. The budget is busted? Okay, GET MORE MONEY. Tax the effing rich.

Bernie_Geotz_Squirrel_Luv

So basically nobody believes in raising taxes. Isn't that how we got in this mess? So again, the rich get richer and the poor eat shit and die in the streets.