Excelsior
Excelsior is the motto of New York state and is Latin for “ever upwards.” Unfortunately, as reflected in this year’s state budget, Democratic leaders seem to believe that the motto refers to spending and not the overall direction of the state.
At approximately $132 billion, this year’s budget increases spending by nearly ten percent over last year, or $10.5 billion. To pay for this lavish expenditure plan, Democratic lawmakers and Governor Paterson have opted to increase taxes and fees on hardworking New Yorkers and businesses by about $7 billion.
Not only is this tax and fee increase the wrong direction for a state that is already overtaxed, but it is a highly irresponsible move that will likely prolong the current economic recession here and require undue sacrifices from overburdened New Yorkers.
Crafted in secrecy by Democrat leaders, all from New York City, this year’s budget seeks to protect Albany’s special interest to the detriment of New York taxpayers. By increasing vehicle registration and driver’s license fees by 25 percent, boosting license plate fees by 68 percent, adding a nickel deposit on water bottles, raising the excise tax on beer by 27 percent and wine by 58 percent, increasing hunting and fishing licenses fees by 52 percent and placing a whooping 500 percent surcharge on utility fees, Democrat leaders are balancing this year’s budget on the backs of New Yorkers.
Adding tax and fee injury to homeowner insult, the state budget not only fails to deliver relief to overburdened homeowners through a property tax cap, circuit breaker or unfunded mandate relief for school districts and local governments, but adds to the burden of the region’s high property taxes by eliminating the $1.7 billion STAR rebate program.
In addition to cutting the STAR rebate program, this year’s budget also makes unnecessary cuts to health care funding by $2.3 billion while doing little to address the $4.6 billion in annual Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse. The savings that could be generated by recouping losses from wasted and misused Medicaid dollars would more than cover these cuts and the costs of more proactive Medicaid recovery initiatives.
However, the worst aspect of this year’s budget, especially considering the billions of dollars being spent, is the lack of real investment in upstate New York. This year’s budget failed to extend the Power for Jobs/Economic Development Power program, which provides low-cost power to manufacturers weakens the ability to attract new businesses and jobs to upstate and fails to invest significantly in the region’s infrastructure while hitting businesses with higher taxes and fees.
This is not the direction the state needs to be moving in during these tough times. State leaders should be working to lessen the burden on New Yorkers by lowering taxes and fees, cutting wasteful government spending and investing more in economic development. Through these policies, state government can revitalize New York’s economy and put the state on the right path toward economic recovery and move the state ever upwards—excelsior.
Tom O’Mara
Member of the Assembly
137th District
