Budget Solution For Today And The Future

ALBANY, 11/19/09 – Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) today commented on the ongoing budget negotiations:

“As work continues to address a projected $3.2 billion dollar state budget deficit, I stand ready to work in a bipartisan manner to bring a long-term solution to the taxpayers of New York.  I have signed on to a plan that will utilize recurring savings and common sense cuts to balance the state budget without new taxes and fees.    This plan avoids mid- year school aid cuts and damaging reductions to our local hospitals and nursing homes.  We cannot solve the state’s fiscal problems on the backs of our local property owners who are already at the breaking point.  I would also hope that a state spending cap would be part of the final plan so that we can avoid going down this road again in future years.”

 SFY 2009-10 Mid-Year Cuts and Budget Savings Actions

Senate DRP Compromise Plan 

             Mid-Year Deficit Reduction Action                                       Amount 

Local Assistance Across the Board Reductions*                             $381 million

Reduce State Agency Non-personal Service Spending*                  $500 million

Battery Park City Authority Fund Transfer                                       $200 million

Tax Penalty Forgiveness Program                                                    $250 million

Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) franchise payment                             $200 million

Increased Medicaid Fraud Recoveries*                                           $150 million

Other Actions                                                                                  $150 million

Debt Service Savings*                                                                     $100 million

Regional Green Gas Initiative (RGGI/Surplus Funds)                        $ 90 million

Workers Compensation Surplus Recapture                                      $ 49 million

Revenue Reestimate                                                                         $ 45 million

Dormitory Authority Fund Transfer                                                   $ 26 million

Fund Transfer from the Environmental Protection Fund                      $ 10 million

Dormant Funds                                                                                 $   5 million

Moratorium on Open Space Land Purchases*                                   $ 30 million

Fiscal Stabilization ARRA Education Funds                                        $391 million

POTENTIAL AGREED ACTIONS                                              $2.577 billion

Reduction of Current Year Legislative Additions/Restorations

to the Governors Budget*                                                                  $437 million

Reinstitute Medicaid and Welfare Anti-Fraud/Taxpayer

protections*                                                                                       $ 34 million

Increase Non-Resident State University Tuition                                   $100 million

OTHER PROPOSED ACTIONS                                                   $571 million 

TOTAL DEFICIT REDUCTION ACTIONS                                $3.148 billion

SPENDING REDUCTIONS SUB-TOTAL                                   $1.448 billion

 *Recurring Budget Savings Total - $1.632 billion