Largest Midyear Expenditure Cuts Since 1990 Passes Unanimously
(ALBANY, NEW YORK) Senator Dale M. Volker (R-I-C, Depew) today announced that the extraordinary session of the State Legislature has concluded and with it provides over $1.7 Billion is cost savings over the next two years for New York State taxpayers. Actions taken by the Governor, The Assembly and State Senate will also protect state aid to municipalities, restores money for hospitals and nursing homes and stops any cuts to community colleges."You cannot tax your way out of an economic slowdown," said Senator Dale M. Volker. "Rather, you have to streamline government, cut costs, and rethink the way government operates. That is exactly what we did, and by reducing current-year spending by $427 million and next year’s spending by $649 million, for a combined two-year savings of nearly $1.1 billion, we are well on our way to addressing any future state budget deficits." Senator Volker has consistently stated that this budget will not be balanced through mid-year education cuts that take important resources away from schools, State workforce layoffs, harmful cuts to hospitals, TAP cuts that would make it more difficult for middle-class families to afford college, reductions in promised AIM funding, or cost shifts that would force local governments to raise taxes to make up for a shortfall from Albany. "We have achieved budget stability, while once again rejecting an approximately $2.7 billion dollar tax increase proposed by the Assembly Democrats that would reverse the economic progress we’ve made in the last few months," said Senator Volker. "Taxing people more is simply unacceptable. We need to continue to stay the course and provide further tax relief for New York families and our business community."However, the State Senate is disappointed that just weeks before property tax bills will be mailed out to homeowners struggling with high taxes, the Assembly continues to refuse to take up Governor Paterson’s property tax cap program bill. The tax cap, already passed by the State Senate, would provide real relief for overburdened taxpayers and address the most critical issue facing New Yorkers and their families. The circuit breaker proposal advanced by the Assembly this week would do nothing to restrain local spending and would drive property taxes even higher.The State Senate, State Assembly and Governor Paterson also agreed to freeze physicians’ medical malpractice premiums. Recent increases in premiums have created a cost-prohibitive environment for many medical professionals. Additionally, an agreement on the Buffalo Joint School Construction has been achieved and will slightly reduce the aid ratio in order for the Buffalo School District to proceed with construction projects that are scheduled to proceed over the next several years, and protecting over 900 jobs while improving educational settings for Buffalo’s school children.####
"You cannot tax your way out of an economic slowdown," said Senator Dale M. Volker. "Rather, you have to streamline government, cut costs, and rethink the way government operates. That is exactly what we did, and by reducing current-year spending by $427 million and next year’s spending by $649 million, for a combined two-year savings of nearly $1.1 billion, we are well on our way to addressing any future state budget deficits."
Senator Volker has consistently stated that this budget will not be balanced through mid-year education cuts that take important resources away from schools, State workforce layoffs, harmful cuts to hospitals, TAP cuts that would make it more difficult for middle-class families to afford college, reductions in promised AIM funding, or cost shifts that would force local governments to raise taxes to make up for a shortfall from Albany.
"We have achieved budget stability, while once again rejecting an approximately $2.7 billion dollar tax increase proposed by the Assembly Democrats that would reverse the economic progress we’ve made in the last few months," said Senator Volker. "Taxing people more is simply unacceptable. We need to continue to stay the course and provide further tax relief for New York families and our business community."
However, the State Senate is disappointed that just weeks before property tax bills will be mailed out to homeowners struggling with high taxes, the Assembly continues to refuse to take up Governor Paterson’s property tax cap program bill. The tax cap, already passed by the State Senate, would provide real relief for overburdened taxpayers and address the most critical issue facing New Yorkers and their families. The circuit breaker proposal advanced by the Assembly this week would do nothing to restrain local spending and would drive property taxes even higher.
The State Senate, State Assembly and Governor Paterson also agreed to freeze physicians’ medical malpractice premiums. Recent increases in premiums have created a cost-prohibitive environment for many medical professionals. Additionally, an agreement on the Buffalo Joint School Construction has been achieved and will slightly reduce the aid ratio in order for the Buffalo School District to proceed with construction projects that are scheduled to proceed over the next several years, and protecting over 900 jobs while improving educational settings for Buffalo’s school children.
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