Ball Unveils State Spending Cap & Jobs Bill

ALBANY, NY (1/19/11) - Senator Greg Ball (R, C – Patterson), the Senate Majority representative on Governor Cuomo’s Savings and Government Efficiency Commission, today announced his sponsorship, and the passage of, the Job Creation and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2011 today. This Act will ensure fiscal responsibility, including a 2% spending cap and a two-thirds super majority vote required to increase taxes, and encourage small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and entrepreneurs to create jobs by offering tax credits for created jobs, rolling back or eliminating recent taxes, and enacting a “Red Tape Moratorium.”

“This is all about jobs and taxes,” Ball said. “Four years ago as an Assemblyman, I came to Albany to cap state spending and reform taxes. Today, I am proud to be a co-sponsor on this bill in the Senate, which accomplishes just that. Today is the first step in getting government out of the way and allowing entrepreneurs and small businesses to do what they do best, which is create jobs.”

“The people have spoken loud and clear that they want the state to cut spending, stop runaway tax increases and get off businesses’ backs and out of their wallets so they can create new jobs,” Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said.  “Today the Senate is sending a clear signal that we share those priorities by making these bills the first ones we act on in the 2011 session.

The Job Creation and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2011 includes a three-year tax credit of $5,000 for every new job created; an additional three-year tax credit of $3,000 for every new job that hires an unemployed worker; a moratorium on new taxes and fees on small businesses, manufacturers, and farms; a rollback of the 2009 small business personal income tax; elimination of the corporate franchise tax; and a new commission to make binding recommendations.

Additionally, the Act includes 2 Constitutional amendments that enact a 2% state spending cap and requires a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the legislature on any tax levy. Ball first pushed for similar legislation as a Member of the New York State Assembly, including the 2009 Property Taxpayer Protection Act and the 2010 Taxpayer Bill of Rights.