O’MARA WARNS THAT HOCHUL’S STATE OF STATE POINTS TO ANOTHER MASSIVE STATE BUDGET

Albany, N.Y., January 9-—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) today responded to Governor Kathy Hochul’s third State of the State message to the Legislature by once again warning that the state’s Democrat leaders are continuing to prioritize long-term commitments for higher state spending that will be unaffordable and unsustainable for taxpayers.

He said that New York is currently facing multi-year, multi-billion-dollar state budget deficits, including a budget gap this year projected to be more than $4 billion.

O’Mara cautioned that the direction Hochul and legislative leaders are focusing on for the future of New York is pointing to even harder times ahead for state and local taxpayers, small businesses and manufacturers, and already hard-pressed upstate communities, economies, and workers.

O’Mara said, “New York State is not stronger, safer, or more affordable under Governor Hochul and the Albany Democrats, and there’s no turnaround in sight. Governor Hochul highlighted the affordability crisis we face in New York State but she’s putting forth a broad agenda that will only keep making New York a more expensive state in which to live, work, do business, raise a family, and pay taxes. There’s no let-up for the middle class under all-Democrat, one-party control of New York government. Albany Democrats ignore the middle class in favor of a politically driven, hard-left roadmap continuing to mandate huge state spending handouts that keep wiping out any realistic hope for a long-term, sustainable, thriving future for upstate, middle-class communities, economies, families, workers, and taxpayers.”

O’Mara stressed that he looks forward to joining his Senate Republican colleagues throughout the new legislative session to put forth strategies to ensure that upstate regions don't get left behind. He said that the GOP will continue to fight for a range of policies focusing on public safety and security, economic growth and job creation, tax relief and regulatory reform, and affordability initiatives to try to reverse New York’s nation-leading population loss.

O’Mara added that he would also work with his legislative colleagues across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions to keep attention focused on unfunded state mandates, job-killing state regulations, and a state and local tax burden that hurts family budgets and keeps New York’s business climate one of the worst in America for small businesses and manufacturers.

Hochul is scheduled to unveil her 2024-2025 proposed state budget next Tuesday after which O’Mara, the Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, and legislative colleagues will begin conducting public hearings on the governor’s plan.