News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Office:
933 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-3751
District Offices:
607 West Washington Street • Suite 2 • Geneva, NY 14456 • (315) 781-2030
E-mail:

For Release: IMMEDIATELY, January 14, 2014
Contact: Michael Fraser, (518) 455-3751/(518) 859-8518
Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I-Canandaigua) Outlines Budget Priorities For 2014-15 Executive Budget Proposal
Measures Would Reduce Taxes, Create New Jobs, Improve Education

Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I-Canandaigua) outlined several fiscal priorities in advance of the Governor's Executive Budget Proposal. In a letter sent to the Governor, Leader Kolb provided recommendations in the policy areas of tax relief, job creation, education, healthcare, mandate relief and government efficiency.

"It's time that New York State finally gets out of the basement when it comes to high taxes, job growth and the fiscal pressures on our residents and businesses," Leader Kolb said. "We have a long way to go, but the first step is crafting a state spending plan that gets more money into the pockets of the families and individuals who have paid too much for far too long."

Among the measures recommended by Leader Kolb are:

  • Prohibiting any new unfunded mandates and eliminating mandates that raise property taxes;
  • Beginning the state takeover of Medicaid costs to counties, and assuming the costs of unfunded mandates forced on localities and school districts that will result in lower property taxes;
  • Ending the state's "Energy Tax" - the 18-a Utility Assessment - placed on utility companies and handed down to consumers;
  • Making the Middle Class Income Tax Cut permanent;
  • Eliminating the state sales tax on items such as gasoline, car seats, bike helmets and hygiene products to make everyday necessities more affordable for families (Shop-NY);
  • Establishing a Division of Regulatory Review & Economic Growth to review and make binding recommendations for the elimination of burdensome regulations;
  • Reforming state regulations that stifle job creation and business growth - eliminating the Wage Theft Prevention Act's annual notice requirement and lowering Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Insurance costs;
  • Reforming the school aid formula to ensure that low-wealth and high-need school districts receive a higher proportion of state aid;
  • Relieving the burden on students, teachers, school administrators and parents by placing a moratorium on state assessments until a comprehensive review of the Common Core Standards is completed;
  • Ensuring no cuts in funding to organizations and programs that support people with developmental disabilities; and
  • Providing annual reimbursement to Seneca and Cayuga counties from New York State from property taxes that the Cayuga Indian Nation refuses to pay.

Previous tax-cutting measures originating from the Assembly Minority Conference include: the state property tax cap; middle-class tax cut; STAR program; STAR Rebate Check program; business and personal income tax reductions; and corporate franchise tax cut.

"These proposals are the tools that homeowners, educators, local officials, small businesses and families need to put our state back on the path to prosperity. The Governor has an opportunity to begin an economic turnaround that is long overdue. I urge him to include my common-sense measures in his Executive Budget and I look forward to working with my colleagues to implement solutions that will put New York back on track and headed toward a bright future," Kolb concluded.

The Governor is scheduled to deliver his Executive Budget proposal on Tuesday, January 21. A copy of Leader Kolb's letter to the Governor is attached.