Share Your Budget Priorities and Help Develop a Fiscally Responsible Plan

Recently, bills to enact a spending cap and term limits for Senate and Assembly leaders passed the State Senate. I voted in favor of both measures.  Additionally, I voted for legislation to end the GEA school aid cuts.  Now, my main focus has turned to working on the New York State Budget.  

Governor Cuomo outlined his budget proposal last month.  Since then, I have been reviewing its contents, and have heard from residents across the 61st Senate District.  I have also been listening to state department heads and other members of the public to gather more information during numerous Joint Legislative Hearings. 

Joint hearings concluded last week, and the next step is for the Senate and Assembly to draft separate budget proposals.  In the Senate, the one-house budget resolution will reflect our budget priorities.  

The majority of that work is conducted by budget subcommittees.  I have been selected to serve on two subcommittees, Economic Development/Taxes and Education.  Being a member of these important committees will help to advance my budget priorities:

This year’s budget should reject any new taxes and limit spending growth to below two percent.

The GEA budget cuts must end this year.  These cuts have had a disproportionate financial strain on rural and suburban school districts– and property taxpayers. GEA budget cuts have had an even worse impact on our children.   

State funding for Roswell Park Cancer Institute should be maintained at the same level as last year.  Reducing support for the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus’ largest tenant sends the wrong message to medical companies and scientists interested in investing here.

The Executive budget shortchanges Upstate New York’s roads and bridges by $6 billion, resulting in 35% more for downstate’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority.  I am fighting for true parity of state transportation tax dollars.

Governor Cuomo has allocated an additional $27 million for the Tuition Assistance Program for undocumented, illegal immigrants.  I oppose this proposal.

A plan to publicly finance campaigns has been proposed under the Governor’s plan.  In my opinion, taxpayer funded political campaigns using your hard-earned tax dollars is a bad idea.

These budget priorities are only a start.  Residents can share their budget priorities with me by visiting my website, ranzenhofer.nysenate.gov, and accessing the State Budget Informational web page.  You can review specific parts of the Executive proposal and Senate Analysis, and get updates on important news.  

As your State Senator, I will be working over the next several weeks to ensure the 2016-17 State Budget reflects the aspirations of families, veterans, senior citizens, young professionals and small businesses in our community.  

Working together, I am confident that we can develop and enact an on-time, fiscally responsible plan to ensure a brighter future for Western New York.  As always, I’ll be sure to keep you posted.