Senator Gallivan Comments on 2021 Executive Budget Proposal

Senator Patrick Gallivan issued the following statement on Governor Cuomo's proposed budget:

"Governor Cuomo presented his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021 earlier today and outlined a number of ambitious goals. The governor has promised more money for state programs and agencies, despite a massive $6.2 billion deficit.  As they say, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

Given the financial shortfall facing our state, it is clear that we must do more to control spending and to ensure the state lives within its means.  We cannot add to the tax increases imposed on our residents last year and expect to close the deficit on the backs of taxpayers.  We must reject any proposal to increase taxes and fees and we should limit borrowing to avoid adding to our debt.

We need to examine how we manage Medicaid and figure out why our costs are the highest in the nation. However, any redesign of the program must control spending and prevent cost shifts to local governments and taxpayers.      

I was glad to hear the governor acknowledge problems created by the state’s new bail reform law, but the time to act is now.  The facts are the changes have resulted in the release of thousands of individuals, including too many repeat offenders who have victimized our communities yet again.  It is clear the new law is flawed and must be fixed immediately to ensure the safety of New York residents, which should be our top priority.  While the governor did not mention it, his proposal calls for the closing of more state prisons, which also raises concern about the security of our citizens.

Public health and safety must also be the main consideration in the discussion of the governor’s call for the legalization of recreational marijuana. 

While we must provide adequate support for education, more importantly, we must ensure that funding is distributed fairly among all of our schools. I look forward to learning more about the governor’s call for a new formula for distributing education aid.

I support the governor’s call to cut taxes on small businesses, to provide more support for agriculture and to continue economic investments that will create jobs. 

As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I am anxious to work with my colleagues to review the governor’s proposal and ensure a budget is adopted that is good for all New Yorkers."