Op-Ed: A new year and a new legislative session

January brings us a new year, and with it a new legislative session. Amid the many committee assignments, legislative hearings, and community outreach events, members of the New York State Legislature must undertake the important task of approving a state budget. Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled her first budget proposal, and members of the Senate and Assembly now must work to ensure it fits the needs and priorities of our constituents.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit working-class families hard. For many, it brought a degree of uncertainty when it came to keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table. That is why I am glad to see Governor Hochul’s plan to accelerate the middle-class income tax cut from 2025 to 2023. This tax cut will help more than 6 million New Yorkers, including many residents of Erie County and throughout Western New York.

In that same vein, the Homeowner Tax Rebate Credit has been proposed for this year’s budget. The credit will benefit low- and middle income households, with a projected average tax savings of $970 for nearly 2 million households outside of New York City.

Last year, we prioritized education in the budget, leading to a $5 million increase in funding for the Kenmore and Tonawanda school districts. Giving students a better educational experience pays dividends throughout the rest of their lives, and I remain focused on delivering crucial funding to our schools in 2022.

As chair of the Senate Libraries Committee, I know how vital libraries are to our communities. They are an essential public resource, and we need to make sure that they remain a priority in the state budget. In last year’s budget, I fought to secure a $20-million increase in library construction aid to ensure that our libraries have the funds they need to keep up with the demands of modern society. This increase has been undone in the 2022 executive budget proposal. I plan to use my voice in Albany to push to restore that funding so that our libraries may build for the future and continue to provide a wide range of essential services to the public.

Infrastructure has been a major priority at the federal level, and it is no different in our state government. The investment from the federal government has been substantial, but in many cases, New York is competing with 49 other states to get projects funded. That is why it is imperative that New York allocates infrastructure money so that we can ensure projects get off the line when coupled with federal funds.

I am pleased to see Governor Hochul has included a new five-year capital plan for the Department of Transportation in her budget proposal. That plan includes nearly $3 billion for equity-focused infrastructure projects, including the reimagining of the Kensington Expressway.

The past two years have been difficult on all of us, but 2022 represents an opportunity to make some truly transformative changes for the people of New York.