Senate Budget Forum Draws Testimony In Snowstorm

Aubertine, colleagues hear ideas and concerns of community leaders regarding 2009-10 budget

OSWEGO (December 19, 2008)—State Sens. Darrel J. Aubertine and David J. Valesky today heard live testimony from several dozen community leaders who braved the snow to give their opinions and ideas on the 2009-10 budget.

"This forum was a tremendous opportunity for the people of Central and Northern New York to be heard," Sen. Aubertine said. "We had an overwhelming response from community leaders in each field who all submitted testimony that will help us do our job finding new opportunities to close our budget gaps."

Close to 60 local representatives in the fields of health care, higher education, education and community services submitted written testimonies for the forum at SUNY Oswego’s Campus Center. Sens. Suzi Oppenheimer of Westchester County, ranking member on the Senate Education Committee, and Toby Ann Stavisky of Queens, ranking member on the Senate Higher Education Committee attended the event as well.

"I’m glad we were able to do this even with the snowstorm," Sen. Valesky said. "We received a lot of information today and in the coming weeks we will sort through the written and video testimony to include their voices in our deliberations."

The forum began around 10 a.m. and concluded at 2 p.m. with the snowstorm in full swing.

"Convening this group of state Senators north of the Thruway to hear the views of people here shows that Upstate is being heard. It’s a substantial showing that may well be the first of its kind," Sen. Aubertine said. "My Senate colleagues even got the full experience, with a taste of the weather we see every winter here in my district and Sen. Valesky’s. The snow did keep some of my colleagues away, but they will be given the today’s testimonies and we will, as a conference, discuss the important ideas we heard today."

Senate Democratic Conference staff was on hand to record the forum and each participant submitted testimony that will be distributed among the leadership. This was the third of three such forums and the first since Gov. David Paterson released his 2009-10 executive budget proposal.

"Make no mistake, the Senate’s Democratic Leadership is committed to the Upstate in a very real way," Sen. Aubertine said. "This forum was put together because the Senate’s Democratic Leadership wanted to hear our concerns and ideas to include them in this process."