Welcome Mat Out At Ridgewood S.C.

Governor Eliot Spitzer has proposed amendments to his first budget, which was submitted to the state legislature about three weeks ago.

These include, among other things, $1.4 million to create a Web site which will provide consumers with comprehensive listings of prescription drug retail prices so that the public can compare prices offered at local pharmacies and find the lowest price.

Other amendments include an increase of $250,000 for a Diabetes Control program to fully fund the Diabetes Centers for Excellence; $900,000 more for the Breast Cancer Detection and Education program to support anticipated program growth; $200,000 more to fully fund the Ovarian Cancer Information Program, a community-based initiative, and $6 million for Medicaid Personal Services.

All of these proposals must be considered by the legislature along with all the original proposals they received, which comprise Spitzer's $120.6 billion 2007- 08 budget.

STILL WAITING: About 14 months ago, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that his administration was creating a program to give every New York City resident a discount prescription drug card which would enable the bearer to purchase required medications at a 20 percent lower price.

Great idea! But it's nowhere near being completed. Several readers had asked about it, but administration officials will say only that it's taking longer than they had anticipated.

The mayor got the idea for the new discount card from Nassau County on Long Island where a program was started several years ago to cover more than a million residents. Officials out there say users have saved about 24 percent per prescription and it doesn't cost the county a cent.

MEETING: AARP Chapter No. 2889 will meet next Wednesday, March 7 at 12:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown, 54- 05 Seabury St., Elmhurst.