Today, Governor Cuomo presented an ambitious agenda for the 2013 Legislative Session. I look forward to working with the Governor and my legislative colleagues to address the challenges facing our state.

I was encouraged by the Governor’s attention and understanding of the need to improve the upstate economy and reduce the burdensome business costs (workers’ comp and unemployment insurance, etc.) facing so many small businesses and manufacturers. It is absolutely imperative that we work to improve our state’s business climate so that we can foster much-needed private sector investment and job creation.

Although the governor discussed the need for more government reform and education reform, I was disappointed the Governor did not take this opportunity to address the vital need to provide much-needed mandate relief for our local governments and school districts. Nor did he address the need to reform the inequity in the school aid formula to provide adequate funding for our low-wealth, high-need school districts, so that the children in our upstate, rural schools can compete on a level playing field.

I look forward to the Governor’s upcoming budget presentation where he will lay out the specific details on how he will address our state’s fiscal challenges.