Senator Lavalle Comments on Closed-Door Budget Process
January 28, 2009
Senate Republicans Budget Savings Plan Spends Less
(Long Island, N.Y.) Senator Kenneth P. LaValle expressed his dismay over a budget process being conducted behind closed doors and with complete disregard for the 2007 Budget Reform law. The Senate Republicans have offered a plan that spends less than the Governor’s proposed budget, rejects $6.2 billion in taxes and fees, and implements a spending cap to prevent future deficits.
“The entire budget process has been conducted behind closed doors,” said Senator LaValle. “The Democrats are secretly negotiating a budget that will raise taxes and spending by record amounts. It is a plan that will hurt hardworking New Yorkers, damage our economy, and cost our state thousands of jobs.”
Senator LaValle noted that Assembly Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Smith have failed to advance a budget with only days left before the April 1 budget deadline. In contrast, the Senate Republicans publicly released “A Better Plan for New York” several weeks ago. It is a plan that spends less, taxes less, and will help create jobs for every region of the state. More specifically, it rejects the billions of dollars in taxes and fees proposed by Governor Paterson; eliminates the tax on health insurance; restores the STAR rebate checks; and equitably distributes education funds so that every region of the state is treated fairly.
As the ranking Republican on the New York State Senate Higher Education Committee, Senator LaValle said the “Better Plan for New York” also eliminates the $68.5 million raid on SUNY tuition funds that was enacted in the Democrats’ Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP). Senator LaValle was outraged over this unprecedented heist, which was stolen directly from the pockets of middle-class families and will be diverted to the State’s General Fund to pay for expenses wholly unrelated to higher education.
“Our SUNY system is a vibrant component of the state’s ongoing economic development efforts,” said Senator LaValle. “Stealing investments from our public higher education system jeopardizes not only the quality of education but also puts thousands more jobs across the state at risk.”
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Business
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