March 15, 2024
FROM SENATOR TOM O’MARA: “My Senate Republican colleagues and I were concerned that Governor Hochul’s out-of-control state spending plan would only skyrocket once the Legislature’s Democrat majorities, the biggest spenders in state history, got their hands on it. Here they go. Governor Hochul’s proposed Executive Budget is a plan of misguided and misplaced priorities, but the Senate Democrats try to correct it with higher taxing and even higher spending. Their plan rightly restores critical commitments to local school districts, local roads and bridges, and other fundamental priorities and responsibilities. But their relentless taxing-and-spending spree is not the dose of fiscal common sense, discipline, and responsibility that’s called for to get this state back on track. It’s irrational and unreasonable. It doesn’t respond to the issues of affordability for everyday New York families, taxpayers, and workers. It won’t stop the exodus of New York taxpayers to other states, and it risks further devastating already hard-hit state and local economies.”
FROM ASSEMBLYMAN PHIL PALMESANO: “Today, Assembly Democrats passed their One-House Budget Resolution outlining their budget priorities. It is nothing more than a progressive wish list that does nothing to help address the affordability and nation-leading outmigration crisis. If enacted “as is,” it would clearly exacerbate this crisis even further. Their proposal would spend $245.8 billion, nearly $13 billion more than the governor’s proposal. Their proposal would increase taxes by $3.5 billion over two years, when New York already has one of the highest tax rates in the country. New York is on the edge of a fiscal cliff, and we cannot keep spending like there is no tomorrow. At some point, Democrats in the Legislature and Gov. Hochul have to show some sort of fiscal responsibility and restraint. The Assembly One-House Budget proposal is simply irresponsible and unsustainable.
“Our state budget is about priorities and certainly, when you propose spending this much money, there will be something for everyone. However, many of the important priorities, such as restoring critical education aid, helping our most vulnerable citizens, the intellectually and developmentally disabled and the direct-support professionals who care for them, reducing burdensome child care costs and making critical investments in local roads and bridges can be addressed without raising taxes and uncontrolled spending.
“It is a fact that in the face of high taxes, an affordability crisis and a poor business climate, New York leads the country in outmigration. The Democrats’ response? Raise taxes even more and continue reckless spending. At a time when New York families are being forced to cut back on spending and have fiscal restraint, our state must as well. My colleagues must recognize this is the taxpayers’ money, not their money.
“I am also very disappointed their budget plan does nothing to “pump the brakes” on the unrealistic timeline, and mother of all unfunded mandates, the costly electric school bus mandate or on the fast-moving Green New Deal for New York, that is designed to dismantle our reliable and affordable natural gas infrastructure, supply and delivery system. Their ultimate goal is to take away consumer choice on how you heat your home, cook your food, power your building and the vehicle you drive.
“As budget negotiations between the governor and the Legislature continue, I urge both to work toward a fiscally responsible budget and rein in out-of-control spending and look out for those who are forced to pay for it: the taxpayers.”
FROM SENATOR GEORGE BORRELLO:
“There is no clearer way for citizens to communicate their unhappiness with the governance of their state than by packing up their households and moving out. Here in New York, our residents are virtually shouting that message as they are leaving in such numbers that our state has topped the nation in outmigration for several years running.
Regrettably, rather than use that valuable information to cut taxes and lower the cost of living – the chief factors driving the exodus – my colleagues continue to steadfastly ignore this reality. Their head-in-the-sand approach is evident in the majority’s One House Budget which actually doubles down on the tax-and-spend and politically-driven policies that have brought us to this point. They’ve taken an already bloated $233 billion Executive Budget and inflated it to a staggering $246.2 billion, which represents a 44 PERCENT increase since 2019.
Not surprisingly, spending isn’t the only thing going up in this budget. The majority’s plan raises more than $14 BILLION in taxes over the next two years through increases in the income tax, on businesses and on health insurance. These tax increases will only accelerate the stampede out of New York, taking much-needed jobs, revenue, economic activity and people with them.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Our Republican Conference has proposed a package of targeted and much-needed income, property and small business tax cuts in our 2024 agenda which would be a crucial step forward toward changing the reality and perception of New York as an unaffordable, high tax state.
I acknowledge there are worthy restorations in this plan that I advocated for, including a reversal of the Executive Budget’s inequitable school aid cuts and increased aid for upstate transportation. I am glad that our voices were heard on these issues as well as on the need to stabilize our financially ailing hospitals and nursing homes with additional funding and reimbursement rate increases. As one who has been advocating for relief to our cannabis farmers who were hurt by the state’s botched rollout of its legal market, I am glad to see funding and grant programs for them included among other important aid increases to agriculture programs, including Nourish NY.
Ultimately, however, this One House Budget takes us further away from the priorities we should be moving towards. The crushing
$2.4 billion in no-strings-attached spending on Democrats’ self-created migrant crisis is an unending drain on taxpayer funds that is unsustainable and irresponsible.
There are tens of millions of dollars spent on ‘bandaids’ like retail store security tax credits and retail theft task forces which have only become necessary because of the Democrats’ disastrous bail changes. While I am opposed to the concept of including policy in the budget, the fact that the majority removed the governor’s proposals to increase penalties for thieves who assault retail workers and for hate crimes is representative of Democrats’ dangerous and incomprehensible protection of violent criminals. They’ve also reduced funding for the state police and included a bill that would make it easier for convicted criminals to overturn their sentences, a bill Governor Hochul rightfully vetoed last year.
It is discouraging that my Democratic colleagues can’t see or refuse to see the toll their policies are taking on everyday New Yorkers, on our economy and on the quality of life in our beloved state. The funding and policies in this plan would only worsen the problems New Yorkers are most concerned about, which is why I voted against it.”
