A Column of News & Comment by Senator James L. SewardFamilies are tightening their belts during this time of financial challenge. So should government. As we looked at the state budget and its falling revenues, we knew action was necessary. But my criteria were clear: I would not vote for state cuts that would shift costs to counties or pressure property taxes. Property taxes are too high now. Families need relief from the burden of property taxes and high fuel costs. The special session of the state legislature recently called by the governor to address the financial challenges facing New York met my criteria. The senate worked with the governor and the assembly to achieve significant savings in this year's budget without raising taxes or disrupting services New Yorkers need. The state faces serious fiscal challenges and the sooner we start the hard work of crafting next year's budget the better off we'll be. We cut the budget by $427 million and reduced next year's spending by $649 million, for a combined two-year savings of nearly $1.1 billion. Added to $630 million in administrative actions taken by the governor, we've achieved $1.7 billion in savings. Working in a bipartisan way, we cut the state's projected deficit. I was clear that the budget will not be balanced through mid-year education cuts that take important funding away from schools; state workforce layoffs; harmful cuts to hospitals that deprive New Yorkers of quality health care; TAP cuts that would make it more difficult for families to afford to send their kids to college; reductions in promised funding to our cities, towns and villages through the Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) program or cost shifts that would force local governments to raise taxes. We passed six percent across-the-board reductions in other areas and have made every effort to minimize the impact of the cuts. We've rejected increases in special taxes on hospitals that would have driven up your hospital bill and proposed new taxes on health insurance premiums that would be passed along to consumers and jack up the cost of your health insurance. Once again, we are rejecting a multi-billion dollar tax increase proposed by the assembly that would reverse the economic progress we've made to shore up the state's finances over the last few months. I say no to tax increases. The senate approved a constitutional amendment to cap state spending increases to better control spending and further reduce next year's deficit. We view the spending cap as a key to addressing the state's long-term financial challenges, and we urge the governor and assembly to make it a priority. If the amendment were already in place, taxpayers would have saved $2.8 billion this year alone. I am disappointed that just weeks before property tax bills will be mailed out to homeowners struggling with high taxes, the assembly won't pass Governor Paterson's property tax cap. The tax cap has already passed the state senate, along with a series of cost saving measures for schools, and would provide real relief for overburdened New Yorkers and their families. New Yorkers need help with their property taxes and their fuel costs. In addition, we must continue to create an economy where more jobs are created, communities grow, and our children and grandchildren stay here in New York to find the careers of their choice and the job opportunities that will make our state stronger.
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