State Senator Carl L. Marcellino (R, Syosset) today announced his outrage and dismay with the final 2009-2010 New York State budget; a budget that will increase overall spending by nearly 10 percent, almost 7 times the projected rate of inflation.
A budget process marred by secrecy and backdoor deals has produced a fiscal plan that is both irresponsible and unsustainable. Instead of cutting spending and eliminating waste, we are looking at taxes and fee increases of over $8 billion.
“This budget is a disaster. Since December, the Governor and the Legislative leaders have been telling everyone that the dire financial times mandated a change in how we spend in this State. In the end, it was same old same old. We are left with a state fiscal plan that taxes more and spends more than any budget in the history of this State. It is a disgrace,” said Senator Marcellino.
Democrats in the Senate and the Assembly are prepared to pass the largest personal income tax increase in State history, along with billions in other new taxes and fees, even though New York receives $25 billion in federal stimulus monies to prevent such drastic tax increases. Overall spending now totals approximately $132 billion.
“This budget does not set New York on a path of financial recovery. This budget will push all taxpayers further into the abyss. No tough choices were made. No new ideas were brought to the table. The three leaders chose the easy way out. They chose to spend with reckless abandonment and then sent the bill to the 19 million residents of this State,” said Senator Marcellino.
Middle class families have been stripped of their STAR rebate checks and will be faced with increased taxes and fees on a wide array of everyday activities, including increased utility taxes that ensure New Yorkers pay the highest gas and electric rates in the country. They will also pay higher fees to register their cars so they can get around, to renew their hunting and fishing licenses, to send their children to college, to rent a car, and to buy bottled water or beer.
Small businesses are among the hardest hit. Under this budget, small businesses who are already struggling to survive will be forced to pay higher income taxes, higher energy costs, and higher health insurance costs.
“This budget is a job killer. It will force businesses across the State to cut jobs, services and even shut their doors. Stores that were barely getting by yesterday just had the final nail put in their coffin. The Governor and the Legislative Leaders could not have picked a worse time to turn their backs on our small business owners. The empty store fronts and vacant office buildings will be their legacy for years to come,” said Senator Marcellino.
“There are no winners in this budget process. This doomsday budget is about greed and a lack of leadership and courage. It is a blueprint for unemployment, skyrocketing taxes and hardship. I have said time and time again that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste. Not only has the crisis been wasted, it has been made worse,” concluded Senator Marcellino.
