Seward Responds To Governor's Cost Cutting Plan

ONEONTA, 11/13/08 -- State Senator James L. Seward issued the following response to Governor Paterson’s proposed budget cuts:

“I am reviewing the governor’s proposed cuts carefully, and while I support the need to reduce spending, we must not transfer the state’s deficit to local taxpayers.

“Midyear cuts to schools would be disastrous. We need mandate relief and other options for schools to save money.

“Cuts to Medicaid must also be examined closely. We need to get at the root of the problem, rather than playing a shell game that leaves our hospitals and nursing homes holding the bag.

“I am prepared to return to Albany with an open mind next week. One thing I do not favor though, are cuts that will hurt local taxpayers. We need to find solutions that will help the economy and allow us to grow our way out of this fiscal downturn.”