“I am appalled at the size of this budget. Extensive meetings of the three New York City leaders, the ‘three men in a room’, have eliminated the voices and representation of any individuals not of their party and region. I cannot say that I am surprised, the Governor’s introduction of a ‘fat’ budget earlier this year with an increase of 137 new taxes and fees set precedent for what was to come.
“This budget will certainly drain the pockets of our hardworking middle-class families and businesses. In these tough economic times, the last thing we should be doing is raising taxes; I have said this over and over again. However, the Governor has presented us with a budget that is more inflated than any other state’s budget, full of outlandish spending and excessive taxes, making it even more unbearable for the middle class.
“While I feel strongly that there are important programs in the budget that are critical to the people of New York State, I could NOT, in good conscience, vote for a budget that is so detrimental to taxpayers. Wages are decreasing, families and businesses are struggling and this budget increases the state’s overall spending again this year. This is a missed opportunity; everyone realizes the extreme economic challenges we are facing, and most were prepared for the necessary cuts. We were not prepared for a budget that is full of more tax-and-spend policies than ever before.”