ALBANY, NY— Senator Sue Serino (R, C, I—Hyde Park) released the following statement regarding the status of the state budget process.   

“To say I am disappointed to be sent home without passing a final state budget would be a tremendous understatement.  

“While I do not personally collect the per diem payments lawmakers are entitled to when they travel to Albany, we need to ensure that the hardworking taxpayers of New York aren’t footing the bill while we await a break in the stalemate.

“Let me make one thing very clear: I promised our communities when I was elected that I would work to ensure that the State Senate acted as a check on the Executive and the Assembly, and we are not going to roll over to help advance the political ambitions of our Governor.

“Now is not the time to play the ‘blame game.’ It is time to govern, not to grandstand. As I have said since day one, I have stood, and continue to stand, ready to do the work that the people of our state sent us to Albany to do. Our school districts and our local governments cannot afford to shoulder the burden of this kind of inaction. I remain hopeful that my colleagues in both houses can come together to finish the task far before the May 31^st deadline.”

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