“The Assembly One-House Budget Proposal gives resources to many areas that will benefit the constituents in my district. The North Country and Adirondack Region stands to benefit tremendously with dedicated stewardship funding, invasive species eradication resources plus crucial Environmental Protection Funding for the Camp Santanoni Historic Area, SUNY ESF’s Newcomb campus and the Lake George Park Commission. Also included is $4 million for a once-in-generation comprehensive Survey of Climate Change and Adirondack Lakes Ecosystems. New York schools would finally see Universal School Meals become a long-overdue reality, our BOCES Programs will finally see an adjustment in teacher aid for the first time in 30 years and hundreds of millions of dollars to critical clean water infrastructure upgrades will be made available.

“Unfortunately, this proposal comes up short where it matters most: affordability and quality of life. Our nursing homes and hospitals will see an increase in their reimbursement rates but one that comes far short of what they need to provide care for our most vulnerable populations. This budget proposal leaves New York with continued outstanding debt amounting to billions of dollars owed to the Federal Unemployment Insurance Fund and continues to saddle employers with an unfair and unjust surcharge to pay for it on top of newly-proposed tax increases for the state’s larger employers. Every day New Yorkers would even see new taxes on digital purchases and deliveries to fund record increases for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority while equally important upstate transportation infrastructure funding gets left out.

“We are on the doorstep of the biggest budget in New York state history for the third year in a row, despite a mass outmigration of New Yorkers leaving the state. This is simply not sustainable.”