Waiting for the Dough: Townsend fed up with Governor, Unveils Own Budget Fix

Lawmaker’s proposal prevents local school, hospital staff layoffs and drastic service cuts

(Nov. 19, 2009) Assemblyman David Townsend (R,WF-Sylvan Beach) yesterday further demonstrated his commitment to Upstate New York’s taxpayers by unveiling a deficit-reduction proposal that potentially stands to save the Empire State $3.7 billion in the current fiscal year ending on March 31, 2010. A legislative logjam since the bloated, $132 billion state budget passed in April, over the objections of Townsend, has prevented substantive action to decrease the existing $3.2 billion deficit as well as to tackle the long-term budgetary problems that threaten to transform New York into another California, complete with empty coffers, drastic cuts to public services, and negative credit ratings. The mid-year budget-deficit reductions, introduced by Townsend and his minority conference colleagues at a Capitol press event, would save New York $3.7 billion through a combination of revenue generators, consolidations, and cuts at the state level.

“For months, I have warned Governor Paterson and his inner circle of New York City legislators that their spending spree spelled doom for the Empire State,” said Townsend. “The massive $132 billion state budget, with over $8 billion in new and increased taxes and fees on hard-working Upstate families and businesses, was a time bomb planted deep within New York’s finances. This bomb is ready to detonate. Meanwhile, David Paterson and his do-nothing majority in the state legislature are defending mandatory license plates and arguing with each other. I am supporting a deficit-reduction plan which would save us $3.7 billion over the next five months, without targeting our school districts, hospitals, and other local services for drastic mid-year cuts that would require unfair job losses at the county and municipal levels. Nuisance taxes like $25 license-plate fees do not represent the serious reforms Upstate New Yorkers deserve. I encourage the governor to immediately accept the deficit-reduction proposals my colleagues and I have laid out today so that we can avoid the fates of California, Rhode Island, and other bankrupt states and get back to work serving the people of the great state of New York.”

Waiting for the Dough: Townsend fed up with Governor, Unveils Own Budget Fix

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