Senator Klein's Statement on Early Passage of 2013-14 Budget

Budget Increases Minimum Wage to $9, Helps Returning Veterans Build Careers, Sends Middle Class Families $350 Tax Rebate Checks and Keeps Middle Class Taxes at Lowest Levels in Over Half a Century 

Senate Majority Coalition Co-Leader and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein (D-Westchester/Bronx) today announced early passage of the 2013-14 Budget. The Budget passed both houses of the Legislature well before the April 1 deadline, making it the earliest budget since 1983.

Senator Jeffrey D. Klein said, “After listening to New Yorkers from across our state, I am pleased to announce that today, we are enacting the most family friendly budget in a generation. As a result of Governor Cuomo’s strong leadership and the bipartisan, solution-oriented approach embraced by the conference leaders, we are delivering a third consecutive on-time and fiscally responsible budget.

“When we formed the senate bipartisan coalition last December, the Independent Democratic Conference promised low-wage workers—and our state’s economy—a real lift. Today, we’re delivering on that promise, by raising the minimum wage to $9. Thousands of low wage families in the Bronx will directly benefit from this boost in wages.

“Today’s budget agreement is a huge step-forward for families across New York. For the past five years, we have been asking middle class families to do more with less. Today, we’re finally providing some relief, by delivering a $350 family rebate check to help defray the costs of monthly bills such as daycare, groceries, and utilities. Two years ago, we cut middle class taxes to their lowest level in over half a century. Today, I’m proud to announce that these same low middle class tax rates are here to stay.

“I’m also pleased to announce that with today's agreement, the IDC is following through on its commitment to help returning veterans find rewarding work in New York State. By providing major tax credits for businesses that hire one of our state’s heroes, we can finally start bringing down the unacceptably high unemployment rate among New York vets.  I am proud of this budget and believe that it is good for families and businesses, for the Bronx and Westchester and for New Yorkers across the state."

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