ALBANY, 11/19/09 – Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) today commented on the ongoing budget negotiations:
“As work continues to address a projected $3.2 billion dollar state budget deficit, I stand ready to work in a bipartisan manner to bring a long-term solution to the taxpayers of New York. I have signed on to a plan that will utilize recurring savings and common sense cuts to balance the state budget without new taxes and fees. This plan avoids mid- year school aid cuts and damaging reductions to our local hospitals and nursing homes. We cannot solve the state’s fiscal problems on the backs of our local property owners who are already at the breaking point. I would also hope that a state spending cap would be part of the final plan so that we can avoid going down this road again in future years.”
SFY 2009-10 Mid-Year Cuts and Budget Savings Actions
Senate DRP Compromise Plan
Mid-Year Deficit Reduction Action Amount
Local Assistance Across the Board Reductions* $381 million
Reduce State Agency Non-personal Service Spending* $500 million
Battery Park City Authority Fund Transfer $200 million
Tax Penalty Forgiveness Program $250 million
Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) franchise payment $200 million
Increased Medicaid Fraud Recoveries* $150 million
Other Actions $150 million
Debt Service Savings* $100 million
Regional Green Gas Initiative (RGGI/Surplus Funds) $ 90 million
Workers Compensation Surplus Recapture $ 49 million
Revenue Reestimate $ 45 million
Dormitory Authority Fund Transfer $ 26 million
Fund Transfer from the Environmental Protection Fund $ 10 million
Dormant Funds $ 5 million
Moratorium on Open Space Land Purchases* $ 30 million
Fiscal Stabilization ARRA Education Funds $391 million
POTENTIAL AGREED ACTIONS $2.577 billion
Reduction of Current Year Legislative Additions/Restorations
to the Governors Budget* $437 million
Reinstitute Medicaid and Welfare Anti-Fraud/Taxpayer
protections* $ 34 million
Increase Non-Resident State University Tuition $100 million
OTHER PROPOSED ACTIONS $571 million
TOTAL DEFICIT REDUCTION ACTIONS $3.148 billion
SPENDING REDUCTIONS SUB-TOTAL $1.448 billion
*Recurring Budget Savings Total - $1.632 billion
