Thousands marched Thursday in Manhattan to protest Governor Eliot Spitzer’s proposed billion-dollar health care spending cuts. 

Protesters marched from 26th Street and Third Avenue to the governor’s Manhattan office at 40th Street spreading their disapproval of his budget cuts. 

“You’re going to be an old person one day in a health care center, either you or a member of your family, and I think you really need to think strongly about that,” said one protester. “These elderly deserve more than you are willing to give.” 

The governor is proposing to cut $1.2 billion in health care costs from the state budget. He says special interests have taken advantage of government funding and wants money to go to community-based health care centers. 

The president of the health care workers union says the new governor is sending the wrong message to New Yorkers. 

“Governor Spitzer, you take great pride in showing how mean you are, how tough you are, how you can steamroll people, how you can crush people, how you are going to leave people on the ground when you are done with them,” said Dennis Rivera, president of Local 1199. “We are of a different ilk. We are about love.” 

“If it hurts like a cut, it's a cut. If it bleeds like a cut, it's a cut. Some cuts don't heal,” said Assemblyman Nick Perry. 

Spitzer's proposed cuts are on top of the Berger Commission's recommendation to close nine hospitals statewide, five in the city. 

State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno does not support Spitzer's budget plan and was scheduled to speak at the rally but did not show, blaming bad weather upstate. 

As for the governor, he says the system needs to be more efficient. 

“Those who are spreading fear or trying to create disagreement by saying these cuts can't be absorbed are not only wrong on the facts, what they are doing is wrong from a health care perspective, wrong in terms of sending a message that is factually so off base as to be irresponsible,” said Spitzer. 

The budget battle has created an ugly television advertising war, with both sides pushing their message.