Balancing a budget is never easy, but every family and household has to do it, and so too does the state. One of the most important responsibilities I have as your representative in the state Assembly is to help craft and pass a balanced state budget that meets the needs of our community. The budget isn’t just a spending plan; it’s a reflection of our priorities and a blueprint for achieving our shared goals.

The process begins when the governor presents his executive budget proposal to the Legislature. The Assembly and Senate then hold meetings and public hearings and propose their own versions of the budget. These are followed by negotiations between the Legislature and the governor, where we hash out the final spending plan, which is passed into law. This year, we aim to once again pass a balanced, on-time state budget for the people of New York. I want to share with you the priorities I’ll be fighting for as the budget process moves forward.

Our local economy cannot grow if our small businesses aren’t thriving, and I was happy to see the governor’s proposal would provide tax relief for small businesses. The proposal would reduce their earned net income tax rate and expand the number of businesses that are eligible for the small business deduction. I’m also encouraged by the governor’s call for an increase in funding for the Environmental Protection Fund and initiatives he has proposed to combat climate change and encourage the use of renewable energy sources. We must do all we can to ensure our valuable natural resources and a clean environment are available for future generations.

There are, however, some areas of the governor’s proposed budget that I have concerns about, particularly with regard to education funding. While the governor has put forth some encouraging proposals, we must also remember that the most important investment is the one we make in our children. Our students must be our top priority, and that’s why I’ll work to ensure all schools receive their fair share of state funding this year. This begins with eliminating the Gap Elimination Adjustment and substantially increasing the amount of foundation aid going to our schools.

Additionally, I will be fighting to ensure that Central New York gets adequate funding for public transportation. The governor’s proposed budget offers an increase of only $800,000 for CENTRO – not nearly enough to provide services for those who depend on it.

Over the next few months, I’ll be working with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to look closely at these and other issues. And I’ll turn my focus toward crafting an on-time, fiscally responsible state budget that ensures the needs of our students, families and businesses are met. As always, if you have questions about the state budget or any other community issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 452-1115 or by emailing StirpeA@assembly.state.ny.us.