Our state budget is strained to the limit and programs
are being cut that no one would prefer to cut. As the politicians who created
this mess duck for cover and point fingers, often while trying to spend even
more, the private sector is stepping up. This is the private sector that these
same politicians often call greedy and vilify.

The Wall Street Journal reported the NYC Mayor Michael
Bloomberg went out and raised $1.5 million in the private sector to restore
part of the regents testing program. Bloomberg still does believe in the
private sector thankfully. Now if he would only negotiate successfully to
scale-back the teachers unions, part of our budget mess would be resolved.

Here is an excerpt from the WSJ article:

ALBANY, N.Y. — New
York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Wednesday he has

raised $1.5 million from private donors to resume statewide January Regents

testing, exams that are critical to thousands of college-bound students.

The tests that help as
many as 5,000 students in New York City alone to

graduate early and meet college requirements were cut beginning this year as
the

state addressed a multibillion-dollar deficit. Bloomberg said 80 percent of the

students hurt by the decision were black or Hispanic, and some were returning
to

school after dropping out.

The full article can be read at: http://online.wsj.com/article/APc4742dcf21134c0889733dc8af934fb2.html