A Statement from Senator Pam Helming on the 2018-19 Senate One-House Budget

Today, my colleagues and I in the Senate unveiled a one-house budget that promotes affordability, opportunity, and security. Our responsible spending plan eliminates billions of dollars in new taxes and fees proposed by the Governor, provides real relief for hardworking taxpayers and small businesses, makes sound investments in lower and higher education, and funds our critical roads and bridges. Additionally, the budget boosts agriculture and protects our precious natural resources, and strengthens measures to ensure our schools and communities are safe. I am pleased that we were able to take action on a number of important issues including the heroin and opioid epidemic and Lyme and Tick-borne diseases. Specifically, our one-house budget resolution:
 

• Rejects every single one of the new taxes and fees proposed by the Governor;
• Rejects the Governor’s cap on STAR benefit, helping local seniors and families;
• Proposes the largest-ever state commitment ($265 million) to address the heroin and opioid epidemic based on recommendations by the Joint Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction;
• Cuts wasteful spending and adheres to the self-imposed state spending cap;
• Cuts taxes for small businesses so they can grow and create jobs;
• Advances a regulatory reform package to cut red tape and eliminate burdensome and unnecessary regulations on small businesses;
• Ends the START-UP NY program and redirect $44.5 million in advertising money to strategic economic development efforts;
• Provides a $1 billion increase in public school funding, helping to reduce the burden on local property taxpayers;
• Restores more than $10 million of the Governor’s proposed agriculture cuts and provides a $5 million to support agricultural programs;
• Makes new investments to ensure our schools are as safe as possible;
• Creates a school services mental health coordinator to address mental health issues; and
• Provides $1.2 million in additional resources to support initiatives recommended by the Senate Task Force on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases.

This one-house budget pushes back on the Governors continued attempts to put non-budget policy issues within the State Budget. Additionally, it will help restore New York back to its rightful status as the Empire State. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming weeks to pass an on-time budget that delivers for the families and hardworking taxpayers of the Wayne-Finger Lakes region.

Senator Helming represents the 54th Senate District, which consists of Seneca and Wayne Counties, parts of Cayuga and Ontario Counties, and the towns of Lansing and Webster. For more information, please visit Senator Helming’s website, or follow @SenatorHelming on Facebook or Twitter.

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