Lopez Calls For Cooperation In Budget Negotiations

Joins conference in unveiling “Budget Countdown Clock”

March 26, 2007

After two years of on-time budgets, New York may be late again, for the 21st time in 23 years. In response to the recent breakdown of communication between state leaders, Assemblyman Pete Lopez (R,C,I – Schoharie) is demanding cooperation in order to provide New Yorkers with an on-time budget.

Today he joined his conference in unveiling the ‘Budget Countdown Clock,’ which counts down the time until the state budget is due. They also proposed a measure that would prohibit the Legislature from recessing after April 1st, except for public holidays, if a budget is not passed.

“The clock is a reminder of how little time we have left to produce an on-time budget that serves all the people of New York state,” said Lopez. “Many of us have been working hard for reform, and collectively have taken great strides toward making New York government work for the people. We need to keep pushing for an open, transparent process and work toward a consensus.”

Governor Spitzer’s budget proposed to spend $120.6 billion, and the Assembly Majority wants to spend even more of taxpayers’ funds, noted Lopez. However, even with these increases in spending, the upstate rural economy is being neglected.

“New York’s budget is a policy statement – one which needs to give serious attention to the upstate rural economy,” Lopez said. “I will continue to fight for our over-taxed families, farms and small businesses as we move toward the April 1st deadline.”

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