Curling, Taxes, and Necessities

Ironman, who blogs at Political Calculations, sent me this link. In it, there is a brief discussion of using a NY state income tax increase to help support the Utica Curling Club.

This tax increase would be less annoying if it were truly necessary to produce a balanced budget. However, as the New York Times noted in a news analysis piece yesterday, the budget's 8.7% spending increase "could hardly be called austere." ...

If the state has money to spend on the Utica Curling Club ("Where Central New York plays the hottest sport on ice"), the Haverstraw Brick Museum ("a museum dedicated to the history of brickmaking & bricks"), and the Montauk Boatman's and Captain's Association (a trade association for charter deep sea fishing boats catering to the Hamptons set), can legislators truly say this tax increase is 'necessary'?