Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I—Pulaski) issued the following statement today following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s inauguration:

“Congratulations to Gov. Cuomo for officially becoming our 56th Governor. I wish him well as our new Executive leader. Looking ahead to this upcoming legislative session with a new Governor, I am hopeful that our state can make strides toward real economic reform and more sensible budgets that do not include excessive spending. I also am hopeful that our new governor has Upstate’s interests in mind as new policies are created. Gov. Cuomo has said he will focus on enacting a property tax cap, however, state mandate relief also needs to be a part of the equation so counties and localities will not be forced to pay for all of the services the state mandates. This would help lower property taxes.

“As we create any new policy, our new leaders also should bear in mind New York’s ranking in comparison to the rest of the country. New York ranks second in the nation in state and local taxes: we pay $6,419 per capita in state and local taxes. Clearly, we need to improve our reputation through sound policy and spending cuts, which would make us more welcoming to businesses as well. I hope 2011 will bring some of this necessary reform.”