Statement By Senator John Bonacic

"Families across New York are reducing expenses to make ends meet - New York’s government should do no less. Unlike those who claim this is doomsday, the sky will not fall. Governor Paterson deserves credit for setting a tone and fighting for the common sense things we know are necessary. I encourage the Governor to continue to monitor the State’s finances and call the Legislature back for another round of spending reductions next month and the month thereafter if the State’s economy continues to falter."

"With respect to property tax relief, after fourteen years of waiting, the Assembly finally acted this week on legislation somewhat relating to property tax relief. Their bill, however is nothing more than a press release given its timing and effect. It provides $1.7 billion in tax credits while raising $2.7 billion in taxes. In case nobody in the Assembly understands it, New York has a spending problem. The answer to our spending problem is not higher taxes, it is less spending. Furthermore, the bill fails to end the property tax problem or curb spending growth. We must first start with a property tax cap which the Governor and Senate support, but the Assembly does not."

"Nonetheless, after waiting fourteen years for the Assembly to vote on anything with a semblance of property tax reduction in it, and since they have now voted, I urge Speaker Silver and Majority Leader Skelos to call for immediate and public conference committees on this issue. Let’s debate reducing property taxes in public. Let’s have public conference committees held around the State over the course of two weeks, so people across the State know who stands where. Only then will everyone know who really wants property tax reform, and who is just pretending. Start this process now."