O’Mara: Focus on long-term fiscal responsibility, upstate economy tops 2019 agenda

Albany, N.Y., January 9—On the opening day of a new legislative session at the State Capitol, Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) took the Oath of Office to begin his fifth term representing New York’s 58th Senate District, and called on Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders to focus on broad-based tax cuts, mandate relief, and regulatory reform as top priorities in 2019.

O’Mara said, “New York remains one of the highest-taxed states in America.  We are one of the most overregulated states in the nation.  Our local governments and local property taxpayers continue to foot the bill for one of the country’s heaviest burdens of unfunded state mandates.  All of these remain a serious drag on our business climate and local economies overall, particularly upstate. ‘No new taxes’ will be a priority for Senate Republicans in 2019.  So will state spending control, mandate relief, and comprehensive regulatory reform.”

O’Mara expressed his concern that a decade ago, the last time state government was fully under one-party, Democratic control, the governor and legislative leaders at that time authorized billions of dollars in new state spending and, subsequently, enacted billions of dollars in new taxes and fees to pay for it.

“That was an era in the not-too-distant past in state government that was incredibly tough on local taxpayers, employers, workers, and families, and we’re still trying to get out from under the consequences of that tax-and-spend approach to government.  We cannot afford anything resembling a repeat performance of those years and I’ll be working hard against any moves in that direction,” O’Mara said.

In addition to economic development, ongoing tax relief, and establishing a permanent cap on state spending, O’Mara said that he will also continue to fight to roll back onerous state mandates, rules, and regulations in the new year.  He stressed the importance of keeping Albany’s attention focused on the specific plight of upstate communities, employers, and taxpayers and workers.

O’Mara’s 58th Senate District covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Yates counties, and a part of Tompkins County (the city and town of Ithaca, and the towns of Enfield, Newfield, and Ulysses).