Seward Starts Fine Tuning State Budget

ALBANY, 02/04/13 -- State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) has been named to three key senate budget sub-committees which will review the governor’s budget proposal and offer recommendations for modifications.  Senator Seward will serve on the education, health and higher education & arts sub-committees.

“State expenditures on education and health are leading concerns and effect a number of economic sectors,” said Senator Seward.  “Spending decisions made at the Capitol in these areas greatly influence the budgets of local schools, households, and governments.  Small business owners also closely monitor these issues because they impact their ability to operate and expand.

“New programs and enhancements of old initiatives proposed by the governor show promise.  Developing innovative linkages between our SUNY schools and community colleges and the business community, for example, is among the ideas I will be able to foster through my budget sub-committee assignments.

“Most importantly, I will continue my advocacy for low-wealth school districts that depend on state funding to meet educational needs while keeping property taxes in check.”

The sub-committees are an early step in the budget process and a pre-cursor to joint senate/assembly conference committees which, in concert with the governor, develop a final spending plan.  

The senate and assembly recently released a joint budget development schedule that sets deadlines that lead to an early adoption of a state budget.  The legislative budget schedule for 2013 is as follows:

On or before

February 27 Senate/Assembly Fiscal Committee Economic & Revenue Reports Released

February 28 Joint Revenue Forecasting Conference

March 1 Revenue Consensus Report 

March 11 Joint Senate & Assembly budget actions 

March 11 Joint Senate/Assembly budget conference committees commence

March 14 Final Report of Joint Conference Committee    

March 18-21       Joint Legislative budget bills taken up by Senate & Assembly

“Enacting a fiscally responsible, on-time state budget for a third consecutive year will send an encouraging message - Albany is working and taking steps to facilitate overall state success,” Seward concluded.

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