Statement From Senator Bonacic

"Governor Pataki has unveiled an ambitious agenda for his last year in office and one which, if enacted, will benefit all New Yorkers. I particularly applaud his desire to address the problem of school property taxes. Now that the Governor and Senate Republican Majority have offered property tax plans, the Assembly leadership must put a plan on the table so we can all work to develop a common property tax reduction strategy."

"I also am heartened that the Governor will seek to provide additional funding assistance for high needs schools, including the ones in our Senate District. All our schools, not just those in one part of the State, deserve an increase in State education aid. The Governor rightly recognizes that and I will be supportive of his efforts."

"I also applaud the Governor’s call to authorize an Empire Zone for every county in this State, including Delaware, which does not have one. At the same time, we need to ensure that Empire Zone businesses are truly the type of business we want to attract, pay people a living wage, and are worthy of the many benefits the Empire Zone program provides."

"The Governor should also be commended for pursuing alternative energy strategies. As any New Yorker whose paid a heating bill in the past few weeks knows, the Federal Government, despite a lot of rhetoric, has offered no real solutions. The Governor has a great environmental record and making New York a national leader in alternative energy supply will put the pressure on other States, and the Federal government, to develop better energy policies."

"Finally, the Governor correctly points out that New York must continue to fight crime by enacting tougher criminal justice laws. Last year, the entire Senate passed numerous bills, some adopted unanimously, to toughen criminal justice laws in this State. There is no reason why the Assembly should not, as the Governor has urged, end the statute of limitations on the crime of rape, expand the DNA database, and increase sentences for violent criminal acts."