Irresponsible State Budget to Harm Western New York

Downstate Democrats State Budget Protects New York City at the Expense of Western New York Families

(DEPEW, NY)  Senator Dale M. Volker (R-I-C, Depew) today urged Governor Paterson and his Democratic colleagues in the State Senate and Assembly to stop the spending spree they call a state budget agreement, and stop pushing for an adoption of a state budget that is simply unsustainable and fiscally irresponsible.  With BILLIONS in new spending and INCREASED TAXES, this budget could plunge New York State into a economic depression that would takes years to reverse, and exacerbate jobs leaving western New York in the short and long term.

The Democrat’s budget totals about $132 billion in spending, an increase over last year of nearly 10%.  More startling is the fact that it includes more than $8 billion in new and higher taxes to pay for the $12 billion in new spending.  At a time when we are mired in the worst economic downturn in generations, this tax and spend budget would increase state spending to unsustainable levels.

“Instead of cutting up and destroying credits cards like families across New York State do to reduce their expenses and keep within their family budgets, New York State is simply doing the opposite---applying for new ones and going on a spending spree,” said Senator Dale M. Volker.  “This state budget, if adopted by the Democrats controlling the Senate, the Assembly and the Governor’s Office, will increase taxes in almost every sector of the economy and punish hardworking taxpayers who are already having trouble paying for food, medicines, healthcare, energy, water, and college tuition.  To pile on, they even eliminate the STAR Rebate Check program that helps taxpayers with their ever increasing school property taxes, and now even charges teenagers a tax for limo services when they go to their high school proms.  Additionally, the downstate democrats use federal health care stimulus dollars that should have been made available to protect our nursing homes and hospitals and spends it on treatment slots for felony drug offenders. The priorities in this budget would rather protect felons and not our elderly and children?  It is simply out of control!”

The end result of the most secret budget process in state history is a plan that taxes too much, spends too much and does nothing to create jobs.  In fact, this budget will result in more jobs being lost, more people being unemployed and more people being uninsured.

Senator Volker said, “we are starving for jobs in western New York, and to everyone’s amazement, this budget does not include any measures to create jobs.  In fact, the budget negotiated in backdoor rooms and in the middle of the night behind closed doors, will actually push jobs out of our state.  In fact, the massive personal income tax hike will hit small businesses the hardest.  The $600 million tax increase on electric and gas bills will add to the highest utility rates in the country.  And businesses are already paying $240 million more for employee health insurance as a result of the tax hike in the Democrats’ deficit reduction plan.  This is simply a tax and spend program for the benefit of New York City and it’s as simple as that.”

As the public finally learns the true impact of this disastrous, secret budget, they are going to be outraged.  Senate Republicans will rally the opposition to a budget that will certainly take more money from the wallets of taxpayers and put more people’s jobs in jeopardy.

            As members of the Senate on both sides the aisle finally learn what is really in the budget, Senate Republicans will be offering alternatives to give Democrats an opportunity to stand up to Governor Paterson, say no to Senator Smith and Speaker Silver and make better decisions on behalf of their constituents.