Cahill Reacts to Governor Cuomo’s First State of the State Address

January 5, 2011

“Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his first State of the State address to a New York still struggling with economic uncertainty and suffering from a crisis of confidence in their government. The Governor called on us to seize this moment as an opportunity to restore the people’s faith by working to completely reinvent government and return New York State to the national leader it once was. Together, we can address the systemic issues plaguing the budget, reduce the size of our institutions, lower the tax burden on our residents and focus on bringing jobs back to our great state.

“A chief concern is to curb state spending and deliver stability to New York’s overburdened residents. We must first and foremost work to promptly pass a responsible budget that makes smart cuts without impacting the quality of vital services New Yorkers on which depend. The budget should be used as a vehicle to begin to reform our outdated bureaucracy. The Governor has pledged to consolidate and streamline our state agencies and authorities to bring about more efficient and effective programs. We should not stop at the state level; we must bring these concepts to all levels of government – especially our schools, as I have proposed.

“The Governor recognizes that communities across the state are being crushed by property taxes. I applaud his willingness to take aggressive action to get a handle on this crisis. However, a property tax cap by itself will not solve the problem. We need to give our schools the tools to actually start cutting costs without sacrificing the quality of our children’s education. I am encouraged by the Governor’s plan to provide the resources our schools need to develop best practices with regard to performance and shared services. I have asked the Executive to consider two proposals I have introduced that work toward developing a statewide action plan for consolidation of school districts and administrative services and pursing alternate means of financing public education in New York State. My bills, the 21st Century Schools Act (A.416) and the Equity in Education Act (A.447), focus on ensuring the maintenance of our valuable, constructive education system while easing, and subsequently eliminating, the burden of rising, regressive property taxes as a means of funding.

“There is no doubt that the inexcusable actions of a few have cast a shadow over state government. Meaningful changes to the culture in Albany are essential to our ability to govern. As Attorney General, Governor Cuomo built an impressive record of taking on those who would attempt to defraud taxpayers for their own personal gain. Today the Executive presented an exhaustive list reforms that will once again restore confidence in our institutions. Throughout my tenure in public service, I have worked to change business as usual in Albany. The Assembly has acted time and again on strengthening our ethics laws, opening up the budget process and reforming our campaign finance system. I look forward to working with the new Governor to finally bring about the changes the Assembly has long championed.

“The Executive’s plan to rebuild New York is rooted in the development of a one-stop approach to economic development that will take full advantage of our regional assets and unrivaled higher education system. This is consistent with my approach to building a new energy economy. I am committed to building a strong partnership with the Governor when it comes to implementing the policies that have made New York a clear leader in innovation.

“The Governor’s green jobs plan mirrors the university and industry partnership model being successfully executed in the Hudson Valley. As Chair of the Assembly Energy Committee, I will work with the Executive to advance an energy agenda focused on economic development, consumer protection, infrastructure, efficiency and alternative energy. Progress in these areas will provide New Yorkers with much needed economic security.

“We have many challenges before us. The Governor is correct; we have a unique opportunity to transform New York State and return it to its rightful place as the most progressive state in the nation. I will work with the Governor and my colleagues in the Legislature to take on the challenges to restore prosperity, rebuild confidence in our government and truly serve the needs of the communities throughout the Catskill and Hudson Valley regions and all of New York.”

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