![Senator Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/4_3_small/public/02-10-15_official_hs_omara-hs-040_0.jpg?itok=gJ9N77KJ)
Pull the Plug on New Taxes
Thomas F. O'Mara
February 5, 2013
![](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/UtilityTax_0_0.jpg?itok=wKruzipv)
Here's my take on one piece of Governor Cuomo's 2013-14 proposed state budget:
“This higher utility tax was one of the worst products of one-party control in New York State government in 2009. I voted against the increased assessment when it was first imposed on businesses and consumers four years ago. It was a bad move then, it’s worse now when New Yorkers find it even harder to make ends meet and the monthly utility bill continues to be sky high,” said O’Mara, who’s serving on the Senate’s budget subcommittee on economic development and taxes. “Governor Cuomo said ‘no new taxes’ in this budget and he should mean it. Higher taxes like this one are tough on consumers and make it harder and harder for New York’s businesses, farmers and manufacturers to stay competitive.”
Share this Article or Press Release
Newsroom
Go to Newsroom![Senator O'Mara shares his weekly perspective on issues facing New York State government.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/weeklycolumn-image2_30.jpg?itok=oC104CpG)
![Senator O'Mara joined other Food Bank of the Southern Tier volunteers to assist this year's BackPack Program on December 19th.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/foodbank-repack_newweb.jpg?itok=gMd_x2GX)
![“It’s outrageous that it takes a comptroller’s audit to uncover, after the fact, what I and many upstate, rural public transit leaders have been warning about for several years. In the meantime, millions of taxpayer dollars have been lost to abuse, fraud, and waste,” said Senator O’Mara, Vice Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/schuylerbusbannerpark4_1.jpg?itok=NDKaqbIN)