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Press Releases

For Immediate Release: August 13th, 2004

Contact: Brad Usher (c) 347-693-4640 (w) 212.490.9535 (f) 212.490.2151

 

***PRESS RELEASE***

 

State Senator Liz Krueger Criticizes State Budget

Says it Represents Yet Another Failure of Leadership

 

Albany, NY – State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) criticized the recently passed state budget as another missed opportunity.  “I could not support this budget because it does not address the critical needs of our state, and it was passed without allowing time for deliberation and review by the people” said Senator Krueger. 

 

Krueger pointed to a number of provisions of the budget bills that would shortchange New York taxpayers, students, and working families.  First and foremost, the budget package totally ignores the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) court decision, which directed the legislature to provide New York City’s high-need schools with additional state funding.  While education aid increases $740 million over last year’s level, state aid to New York City’s public schools is roughly the same percentage (37 percent) of statewide aid that those schools received last year.  Of the big five school districts, New York City received the smallest increase by far. “The Senate Democrats attempted to address this inequity by adding $700 million in additional operating aid to address the CFE decision, and to provide $20 million in capital funds for schools in high needs districts,” said Senator Krueger. “Unfortunately, the Senate Republicans rejected this proposal.”

 

Krueger also criticized the suspension of a permanent exemption on sales tax and clothing costing under $110, while cutting taxes for high income New Yorkers.  “It is incredibly irresponsible to be cutting taxes for the wealthy while keeping the clothing sales tax, which primarily impacts New Yorkers of more modest means.  The legislature has passed a budget that makes our tax code more regressive, and balances the budget on the backs of poor and middle class families,” said Senator Krueger.

 

The budget also cut important health programs that provide critical support for middle and working class New Yorkers, including Family Health Plus, the AIDS Institute, and community health programs that provide asthma treatment and family planning services.  “These cuts make no sense from a public health perspective,” said Senator Krueger.  “Cutting preventive services will only increase costs down the line in the form of increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions, which cost much more than preventive medicine.

 

“While there were some positives in this budget, on balance it was another disaster for New York State,” said Senator Krueger.  “I am extremely disturbed that the majority of the budget bills were passed with ‘messages of necessity’ from the Governor, which eliminated the need for the bills to be publicly available for three days before a vote.  I have introduced legislation requiring budget bills to be available for 10 days before a vote to allow adequate time for public comment on the critical decisions involved in a $100 billion budget.  The Citizens Budget Commission recently asked legislators to sign a pledge to demand that budget bills be available for three days before a vote.  I signed that pledge, which was an additional reason I could not support the bills that did not meet this minimal standard of public review.”

 

Among the more positive aspects of the budget were funding restorations for SUNY and CUNY, including operating aid, TAP, SEEK, EOP, the Liberty Partnership Program, HEOP, STEP/CSTEP, Bundy Aid, and Teacher Opportunity Corps.  The legislature also restored the governor’s education cuts in BOCES, textbook aid, full-day Kindergarten, transportation aid, and building aid.  In addition there were significant restorations in health care programs, including Medicaid and Early Intervention Services.

 

The budget battle may not be over, since Governor Pataki has promised to veto some of the measures in the budget, using his line-item veto power.  “Based on past experience, I am deeply concerned that the Governor will impose further cuts on programs that help poor and middle class New Yorker’s, while leaving corporate welfare untouched, “ said Senator Krueger.  “Unless such cuts are overridden, this budget has the potential to be even more damaging to our state after the Governor’s action.”

 

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