March 2006 Assembly Budget Proposal
From the NYS Assembly • Sheldon Silver, Speaker
Herman D. Farrell Jr., Chair, Ways and Means Committee
New Yorkers benefit under Assembly budget

“The Assembly Democrats called for $2.4 billion worth of eventual tax relief. The Assembly plan was heavily weighted to returning benefits to lower- and middle-income New Yorkers.”

— The Business Review, Albany, 3/10/2006

Plan rejects governor’s damaging budget cuts

The Assembly has unveiled a budget plan that makes significant investments in New York’s future while rejecting the most harmful parts of the governor’s budget.

The Assembly’s proposal clearly lays the foundation for better schools, access to affordable health care, relief for taxpayers and a better future for New York’s working families. For 12 years, the Assembly Majority has stood up to the governor’s wrong choices and drastic budget cuts – and this year is no exception. The Assembly will fight for a final state budget that truly invests in New York’s future.

“The Senate and Assembly budgets for higher education are a welcome improvement to the governor’s proposals. We particularly applaud the rejection of the governor’s scheme to raise tuition and cut financial aid, and urge the parties to come together to negotiate a final budget that will continue to hold the line on tuition and further enhance funding for colleges and financial aid programs.”

— Miriam Kramer, NYPIRG’s government policy analyst

Assembly invests in education and health care – while providing $2.4 billion in tax relief

The Assembly is on track to deliver a fair, on-time budget for the people of this state. The Assembly’s budget provides children with the tools they need to succeed by increasing education funding by $1.33 billion over last year – or $768.5 million over the governor’s proposal.

The Assembly’s budget recognizes that colleges and universities are the gateways to opportunity and rejects the most harmful parts of the governor’s budget – restoring almost $320 million in state support to local colleges and universities and rejecting the governor’s tuition hike at SUNY and CUNY.

The Assembly Majority’s budget delivers $2.4 billion in real tax relief for hard-working families with the “Doing More For More New Yorkers” tax cut plan that includes:

  • Tax credits for homeowners and renters
  • A child tax credit
  • Ending the state sales tax on clothing under $110
  • Eliminating the marriage penalty tax
  • Increasing the head of household deduction
“Both houses (Assembly and Senate) would provide big increases in state aid to public schools, though the Assembly Democrats said only their plan complies with a landmark court decision requiring the state to revamp its school aid formula.”

— The Buffalo News, article, 3/14/2006

The Assembly’s budget makes sure working families have access to – and actually receive – the health care they need by rejecting over $1 billion of the governor’s $1.3 billion in Medicaid cuts by restoring $644 million in state funding, adding another $260 million for restorations and additions to Medicaid and other public health programs for total health care spending of $904 million, and rejecting his proposal to make a 6 percent sick tax on nursing homes permanent.

“On behalf of independently owned neighborhood pharmacies and pharmacists throughout New York, we applaud the Assembly’s full restoration of the Governor’s cuts, in EPIC and Medicaid; and we urge the Senate to join the Assembly in a full restoration.”

— Craig Burridge, Executive Director of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York

The Assembly’s budget also includes a jobs plan that uses targeted tax breaks, investments in education and research, and a focus on New York’s burgeoning high-tech industry to repair the legacy of dismal economic leadership provided by Gov. Pataki.

Assembly fights for a fair, responsible and on-time budget

The Assembly Majority is taking the lead when it comes to defending working families – and taking a stand against the governor’s wrong budget choices. Every New Yorker deserves a fair, responsible and on-time budget. During the upcoming budget process, the Assembly will work to ensure we achieve that goal.

“Both the Assembly and the Senate are proposing in their budgets tax credit plans that would not impose restrictions on how parents are allowed to spend the credits, essentially making them automatic tax reductions. Under the Assembly’s plan, families with incomes between $24,000 and $110,000 would receive a $300 credit for each child under age 17.”

— The New York Sun, article, 3/14/2006


What we need is a long term commitment, not just one year, because we can't have this battle every year....I think they all want to do the right thing, but in all fairness to Shelly Silver, in his bill, his one House bill, there is long-term funding for capital for the New York City school system and we're working with him to make sure that he will sign on to a bill that Joe Bruno will sign on to and we want to get Joe Bruno there, because Shelly, you know, deserves some credit. I don't always agree with him, he doesn't always agree with me, same thing I can tell you about - with George and Joe, but Shelly has done the right thing.

— Mike Bloomberg, New York City Mayor

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