If, for some reason, you somehow felt that, as a New York State resident, you weren't spending enough of your miserable salary on iPods, movie tickets, downloaded music, and cable television, we have wonderful news! Governor Paterson has proposed a hilarious 2009–2010 budget under which people — exactly like you! — would pay exorbitant new taxes on these and other entertainment-related goods and services (that music-download tax should send a strong message to file sharers). In a bid to close a budget gap of $15.4 billion, Paterson is also slashing funding for schools and hospitals and laying off more than 500 state employees, all of which was probably to be expected. What we never anticipated, though, was that we'd someday be paying more than $12 for a movie ticket.

Gov. David Paterson unveils dire New York State budget that includes new taxes, layoffs and cuts [NYDN]
Related: Paterson Brings a World of Hurt Upon Himself [Daily Intel]