Aubertine Disappointed With Failure To Act

Senator: Failure to modify this year’s budget could magnify the pain next year

ALBANY (November 18, 2008)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine today expressed his disappointment that lawmakers returned to Albany, but took no action to modify this year’s budget to close budget gaps.

"I’m disappointed that the current Senate Majority failed to act on any proposal to modify the budget," Sen. Aubertine said. "They failed to take their last best opportunity to do the right thing for the taxpayers of the state of New York. They came to the table with no solutions, only political rhetoric that put party politics ahead of people."

Sen. Aubertine has expressed numerous concerns regarding the governor’s proposal, particularly mid-year reductions in school aid. However, the senator and his Democratic colleagues have not backed down from acknowledging the need to rein in spending. The Democratic Senate leadership proposed looking at about $2 billion in cuts that included parts of the governor’s proposal along with new suggestions, including the consolidation of certain state agencies and public authorities—a plan based on one proposed by Sen. Aubertine in October.

"We’re going to have to take the two billion we proposed to take out of this year’s budget and move to next year’s budget," Sen. Aubertine said. "That means the deficit will move from close to $13 billion for next year to about $15 billion and make next year’s budget that much more difficult. We had an opportunity to act now, but the current Senate Majority leadership stood in the way of addressing the issue when the people are demanding solutions."