Assemblyman John Ceretto (R,I-Lewiston) today called the Assembly Majority’s one- house budget resolution a betrayal of the New York taxpayer and attacked the resolution for containing more onerous tax hikes, while it lacks any meaningful mandate relief or a promised tax cap, and does too little to reform the state’s finances or ethics.
“The Assembly Majority one-house budget resolution does not contain the necessary reforms needed to address the state’s current and long-term fiscal needs. It is merely a poor attempt to maintain the status quo in bad times,” Ceretto said. “Western New York taxpayers deserve better. Instead of raising taxes, the Assembly should be following the Senate Majority’s lead by working to pass a budget that controls spending, reduces unfunded mandates, and restores school aid equitably across the state.”
Assemblyman Ceretto noted that the Assembly Majority budget resolution adds half a billion dollars to the Governor’s proposed $133 billion spending plan and calls for $4.9 billion in new taxes over the 2011-2012 fiscal year, a $15 billion tax increase over a three-year period.
“Lawmakers need to do better,” Ceretto said. “We were elected to make tough decisions. The current fiscal crisis has given us an opportunity to change the way Albany operates by reducing spending and providing taxpayers with needed relief. Unfortunately, the Assembly Majority budget resolution does not incorporate these important policy changes.”
However, Assemblyman Ceretto cautioned that this is not the last step in the budget process.
“Responsible lawmakers still have an opportunity to put forward a state budget that excludes tax hikes and does more to reduce the state’s burden on taxpayers, school districts and local governments. While real change is not going to happen overnight, it needs to start with this year’s budget. The tax-and-spend days in Albany need to end now,” Ceretto said.
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