Bonacic: Vote on Deficit Plan Proposals

NOVEMBER 5, 2009:  State Senator John Bonacic (R/I/C – Mt. Hope) today applauded Governor Paterson’s desire to call for a special session of the State Legislature next week to vote on the Governor’s deficit reduction plan.

Governor Paterson has offered a plan to reduce State spending.  Senate Republicans, as the Governor has noted, have offered a plan to reduce spending.  The Democratic majority political conferences in the Senate and Assembly have offered no plan to close the deficit.   Instead, members of the Senate Finance Committee have been touring the State holding hearings on Paterson’s proposal, and arguing that the State is not actually facing the deficit level that both  Paterson and State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli say exists.  “Anyone who wants to ignore the deficit apparently studied at the Bernie Madoff school of finance,” Senator Bonacic said.  

Bonacic suggested that Paterson take the two plans offered – one by Senate Republicans and one by the Governor, put each proposed reduction into separate bills, and then seek a vote on each of them – item by item. 

 “If there is one thing the voters said Tuesday night, it is that the taxes have got to stop.  Voters screamed for change against taxing and spending – particularly in the Hudson Valley and Long Island where we were hit with the MTA tax.   We need to cut spending, and develop a back to basics approach to government,” Bonacic said.  Every Democrat in the Senate voted for the MTA tax.  Every Republican voted against it.

Frequently, budget proposals are put forward in one massive bill, giving Legislators ample opportunity to vote against the proposal because one or move favored items would be cut.   A vote on each proposed cut – item by item, would hold elected officials accountable and create the greatest chance for successful votes on spending reductions. 

 “Governor Paterson may not be popular, but he is right.  We need to vote on each individual reduction proposed so far – item by item – both the ones offered by the Governor, and the one offered by Senate Republicans.  We told the Democrats in March and April that their tax and spend budget was too much.  Now they need to come back to reality, and vote on the solutions offered by the Governor and Senate Republicans, and finally reduce spending, and cut taxes like New Yorkers have been demanding,” concluded Senator Bonacic.

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