STATEMENT FROM SENATOR GEORGE AMEDORE

This year’s budget process was unprecedented as the state and nation continue to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. In these uncertain times, the Governor and the Legislature had an opportunity to take measures to help provide relief for families and businesses who are struggling as our economy is shut down. Instead, we are now faced with harmful cuts to essential programs, costly mandates that will make it harder to create and retain jobs when the economy gets back up and running, and additional burdens on our local governments, which will end up costing the property taxpayer more in the long run.

The budget is also filled with political policy issues that were included with no public discussion or input. If there was ever a year to keep policy out of the budget and focus on the fiscal issues and providing relief to New Yorkers who are struggling in the midst of this pandemic, this was it.

From the process to the end result, this is a bad budget for New Yorkers, which is why I could not support it.