The New York state budget is officially over two weeks late. The time for political posturing has passed and the time for fiscally responsible ideas is now. While the budget process continues to be riddled with secrecy and dysfunction, I wanted to share some of my proposals for a fiscally responsible state budget that contains no new borrowing, reduces the size and cost of government and generates state revenue without hiking taxes or fees. It is possible to balance the budget without increasing your tax burden, and I have ideas on how to accomplish that goal.
My Assembly Minority colleagues and I have proposed a list of ideas to reduce the cost and size of state government including removing state government mandates on localities to provide Medicaid services and allowing the counties to choose which services to provide; collecting unused state funds for various projects; and consolidating and merging state agencies with overlapping functions. Our total proposal would save the state approximately $4,888,000,000.
Along with a series of proposals to reduce the cost of state government, the Assembly Conference has proposed a list of possible new state revenue sources. Some of these proposals include allowing additional timber harvesting on state-owned lands; collecting tax revenue from sales to non-Native American Indians sold on Native American reservations; and allowing the sale of advertising in state mailings, legislative broadcasting and state websites. Our proposals would produce approximately $765,000,000 in state revenue and savings.
Unfortunately, state leaders failed to heed the warnings from me and my Assembly Minority colleagues last year. The result was a fiscally irresponsible state budget that spent too much, taxed too much and caused New York to be unable to pay its bills when December came around. We cannot allow this to happen again, especially since this fiscal year is projected to be even worse than the last. The above proposals, coupled with the rest of our proposed budget, will put New York on the path to again fulfill our state motto: “Excelsior.” As always, if you have any questions or comments about the state budget or any other state issues, please don’t hesitate to contact me at either my Johnstown office at (518) 762-6486, or my Herkimer office at (315) 866-1632.