New York Gov. David Paterson said this afternoon that "the state of our state is perilous." The good Governor warned in his State of the State Address that New York faces an historic economic challenge... the gravest in nearly a century... the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression... an estimated 225,000 New Yorkers will be laid off.

Few would doubt those words. But many are in disbelief that the Governor would tackle such tough times by raising at least 137 taxes and fees on hard-working New Yorkers to the tune of an estimated $6 billion. Tax hikes on everyday items such as clothes, groceries, cable/satellite TV, haircuts, gasoline and, yes, a new 18 percent tax on an array of non-alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, it seems that the actions being proposed in the Governor’s budget don't match the concerns outlined in his State of the State Address.

In New York and across the country, people are struggling. They're worried about putting food on the table and paying their bills. Losing their home. Keeping their job. The last thing New York families need right now are higher taxes.

The Governor is surely sincere in the concern he expressed today. But his actions are out of touch. He’s not feeling people's pain. He's adding to it.