Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt (R,I,C-Greenwood Lake) today commented on the upcoming State of the State address and the prospects for systemic reform in what remains the most dysfunctional state government in the country. Wednesday’s speech by Governor David Paterson is expected to touch upon the deepening financial fallout New York State has been enduring since the national recession began officially in December 2007. The budget deficit for 2010-11 has been projected as high as $9 billion and could exceed that figure if spending continues to outpace revenue, an endemic feature of Albany Assemblywoman Rabbitt has been regularly criticizing since voting against last year’s blockbuster $132 billion state budget.
“These are difficult times for Hudson Valley families and taxpayers,” said Rabbitt. “Last year, unemployment in our region hit a level we had not seen in over a generation; taxes remain some of the highest in the state; and business development continues to lag behind our neighbors. There has to be a change. But Albany seems incapable of reform. Governor Paterson’s State of the State must address our financial problems; but the concerns of many New Yorkers are bigger than dollars alone. Our state is broken. It is struggling under a system of government that ignores those affected most by its disasterous policies. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming months to make sure these quiet but steady voices are finally heard by those elected to represent their interests.”