Statement From Senate Republican Leader Flanagan

A recent poll showing more than a third of respondents don’t believe they can afford to live anywhere in New York State should serve as a wakeup call to Governor Cuomo and the entire state Legislature.

Middle-class New Yorkers are facing an affordability crisis, and more and more of them are packing up their things, saying good-bye to their friends and families, and fleeing our state in search of relief.  In fact, a whopping 41 percent say they will have to leave our state within the next five years.

It’s in this environment that Albany Democrats, including those in the State Senate, are finalizing a budget that contains billions more in new taxes and fees. A new tax on internet purchases. A new tax on prescription drugs. A new tax on grocery bags. A tax on driving and a tax on gasoline. And even new real estate taxes.

It’s shades of 2009 and 2010 when Senate Democrats increased taxes 124 different times totaling $14 Billion to fuel an irresponsible spending binge that nearly bankrupted our state.

It’s not too late to put together a budget that protects taxpayers and spends only what the state can afford, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely that Democrats have the will to do so. They view hardworking taxpayers as their own personal ATMs – always there for their convenience in case they need a few more dollars to spend. New Yorkers have clearly had enough of high taxes and the last thing they need is another all-Democrat tax-and-spend state budget. Someone needs to stop this disaster before it’s too late.