Dean G. Skelos' Newsroom

STATEMENT BY SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER DEAN SKELOS ON NEW SENATE WEB SITES

The new Senate websites that were unveiled with great fanfare today, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop and will cost millions more to maintain.

Senator Smith has hired a new staff with a public payroll of at least a half a million dollars a year to give individual Senators and the public little more than they had with the previous Senate web sites that were designed and maintained by an outside vendor for $60,000 a year.

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SENATE REPUBLICANS URGE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO FIX EMPIRE ZONE PROBLEM

CONTACT: John McArdle, Mark Hansen  (518) 455-2264            FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Letter To Governor, Majority Leader & Speaker Calls Attention To Gouging Businesses for Interest-Free Loans

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MTA SECRECY - STATEMENT BY SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER DEAN SKELOS

CONTACT: John McArdle, Mark Hansen (518) 455-2264        FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Tuesday, May 5, 2009

    I am stunned by Governor Paterson’s latest comments defending the secrecy shrouding the MTA discussions.  He defends the indefensible by claiming that a little transparency and sunlight might prompt Democrat lawmakers to vote against the agreement. Obviously the Governor believes a little information is a dangerous thing.  

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Senate Republicans Push For Property Tax Relief in State Budget

Members of the New York State Republican Conference today proposed an amendment to budget legislation being advanced on the Senate floor that would restore $1.45 billion in property tax relief for New York’s middle class homeowners. Senate Democrats voted to defeat the amendment.

The budget plan being advanced by the Governor and legislative leaders completely eliminates the STAR property tax rebate checks, placing and additional burden on homeowners struggling with rising property taxes across the state.

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Senate Republicans Push for Propert Tax Relief in State Budget

Members of the New York State Republican Conference today proposed an amendment to budget legislation being advanced on the Senate floor that would restore $1.45 billion in property tax relief for New York’s middle class homeowners. Senate Democrats voted to defeat the amendment.

The budget plan being advanced by the Governor and legislative leaders completely eliminates the STAR property tax rebate checks, placing and additional burden on homeowners struggling with rising property taxes across the state.

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Senate Republicans Push to Stop Drug Laws Changes in State Budget

Democrats Defend Plan To Release Inmates in Communities

State Senate Republicans today tried to stop Democrats from pushing through major changes to the states drug laws that could potentially put as many as 5,000 drug dealers back on the streets. The proposal is included in the 2009-10 state budget. Senate Republicans offered an amendment to strike the plan from the budget bill, however Senate Democrats voted to move forward with the so-called “drug dealer protection act.”

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Senate Democrats Reject GOP Effort to Include Jobs Plan in State Budget

Comprehensive Recovery Plan Would Help Small Businesses, Manufacturers; Create Jobs for Workers Dealing with Worst Economy since the Great Depression

Even though New Yorkers are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Senate Democrats today refused to include a comprehensive jobs plan offered by Republicans in the State Budget that would create new jobs and revitalize Upstate communities which have been hit hard by recent job losses.

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Senate Republicans Propose Mandate Relief in State Budget

Senate Democrats Vote Against Plan to Reign in School Spending and Provide Local Relief

Senate Republicans today introduced an amendment to budget legislation that would take measures to reign in runaway school spending, increase transparency within local school districts, and protect taxpayers from having to pick up the additional costs from unfunded mandates. Senate Democrats voted to defeat the amendment.

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Senate Democrats Oppose GOP Effort to Reduce Soaring Health Care Costs for Small Businesses, Taxpayers

Amendment would have rolled back new Democrat health insurance tax, new assessments that will lead to higher premiums

Senate Democrats today rejected a Republican-sponsored amendment that would have reduced skyrocketing health care costs in New York, ensuring that affordable health coverage will continue to remain out of reach for many small businesses, New Yorkers and their families.

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Senate Democrats Defeat Republican Effort to Stop Largest Tax Increase in State History

Massive $4.1 Billion Income Tax Hike will be Disastrous for Long Island, NYC Metro Area Taxpayers; Result in Thousands of Job Losses

Senate Democrats today defeated a Republican sponsored amendment that would have put the brakes on the largest tax increase in State history, a whopping $4 billion plus Personal Income Tax (PIT) increase that will affect taxpayers making as little as $200,000 a year and lead to devastating job losses throughout New York.

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