Seward Responds To Special Session

 ALBANY, 11/18/08 -- Following today’s special session, Senator James L. Seward issued the following statement:

 “The result of today’s special session is an agreement to move forward from the governor’s proposal, and work together on ways to close the state’s budget gap without shifting costs to taxpayers.

 “Spending cuts are certainly going to be needed to help us deal with the current deficit.  But as I have been saying all along, we can not balance the budget on the backs of our schools, hospitals and local property taxpayers.

 “Mid year cuts to schools would be devastating, and hitting medical providers with cutbacks would only make it more difficult for individuals to find affordable health care.

 “We need to find common ground on sensible cuts that will mean real, substantive change for New York.  We need to look at the state bureaucracy , state authorities, and other government entities so that we can cut fat and reduce waste and abuse.

 “Even more important, we need to boost economic development.  We can grow our way out of this situation through job creation, and targeted investments.”