Seward Discusses Veto Options

Senator James L. Seward commented on the options facing the state legislature concerning vetoes by the governor of the legislature’s on-time budget.

"The legislature assembled an on-time budget that put our families first. The governor vetoed more than $3 billion in funding for property tax relief, colleges, tuition help, tax cuts and health care. When the state is running a surplus, and people are having trouble affording their property taxes and the cost of gasoline, we can’t cry poverty and hoard tax dollars in Albany that belong to the hardworking, overburdened taxpayers of this state.

"So if we can negotiate some changes with the governor -- fine. If not, the senate is taking action to make sure that our tax cuts and smart spending are enacted into law, with or without the governor’s support.

"We have to put families first," Seward concluded.