Tuesday, December 16, 2008

My Response to the Governor's Budget

Governor Paterson today unveiled his 2009-10 Executive Budget for the Legislature's consideration, nearly a full month before he was constitutionally required to do so. I commend the Governor for bringing a quick start to this budget process. With a state deficit approaching $15 billion, this budget process will be decidedly difficult and painful. The reality is that there are no easy answers or quick fixes.

I am approaching this budget process and the Governor's budget with a focus on three core principles: no new taxes or tax hikes, the need to invest in our Upstate and suburban economies and reining in the size, cost and reach of government. Regrettably, on the first principle, the Governor's budget falls short. Governor Paterson's budget raises taxes - and even imposes new taxes - on middle class families and small businesses by almost $4 billion.

Instead of raising taxes, we need to be reducing them. Cutting taxes, providing overtaxed homeowners a real property tax cap, and investing in jobs to grow our hurting economy - especially in Upstate and the suburbs - those areas should command our attention.

Throughout this upcoming session, I will work with the Governor. New York cannot afford legislators from either party acting as agents of delay or obstruction. We need real leadership, real solutions. We are the Empire State and we will get through this crisis and emerge stronger than before.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I sent this comment to the Gov.

I have been notified that you and the DEC are attempting to STEAL our money. Any funds collected by the Pittman-Robertson excise taxes are for the sole use of sportsmen. They are not part of the general fund and not subject to your mis appropriation or redirection.
Would you like to know how to solve your budget crisis??? No social services for illegals, no free health care for illegals, no free schooling for children of illegals. No bilingual forms or services for illegals. If we cant get rid of them at least make them pay for all services that they are not entitled to in the first place.
Next lets cut all state & city wages,pensions and coverages by ten to fifteen percent. Lets search out and get rid of non producing dead wood.That should cut another ten to thirty percent of the city and State work force.
Next issue, welfare. Everyone on welfare must be on birth control. Get pregnant and get thrown off. In this way the state can stop replicating the same problem decade after decade. It will result in stopping over crowded schools, health care cost and prisons and courts over run with state produced and sponsored criminals. Can you please provide me with the exact percentage of New York's prison population that are the product of our failed welfare system? Also the percentage that are the result of your failure to deal with the illegal alien problem. How much does it cost us to educate the children of illegals? It's time for the free ride to end, and its time to stop taxing us to death to provide them with an (A) ticket.
Why is it that when times are good government spends every dime it can find And when there is a down turn there is no cut in government, the solution is always to raise taxes. I demand adjustable rate government so that when times aren't good we cut government down to size. Vital services can stay for a change.(police,fire,utilities,sanitation) Cut down any part of the other ninety percent of useless fat.