Let’s Build On 2012 Success Starting Now

As we get ready for America’s birthday and an enjoyable summer, I want to reflect on the Legislature’s accomplishments during the 2011-2012 legislative session.  However, I urge my colleagues to remain focused on reducing unfunded mandates and making our state a more affordable place for families and job creators.

In just two years, we have enacted responsible, on-time budgets, capped the growth of property taxes, repealed the MTA payroll tax for 80 percent of job creators, passed a number of timely reforms and increased state funding for our schools.  I am proud to have been a part of so much positive change for New Yorkers. That’s why I am urging my colleagues to maintain this bipartisan approach so that New York can continue on its path of success.

Our bipartisanship and Governor Cuomo’s leadership have been instrumental in the passage of two on-time budgets that closed a cumulative $13.5 billion budget deficit without increasing taxes or borrowing more money.  In addition, I was pleased to help pass the historic property-tax cap to provide relief for homeowners.  We also secured essential mandate relief such as the state cap on Medicaid’s growth rate to help our local governments provide services without new tax hikes. 

These legislative sessions have been very productive for the Legislature and New York’s taxpayer, but there is still more work to be done if we are to get this economy back on track and help more New Yorkers find jobs.  I urge my colleagues to keep our reform momentum going and join me in fighting to reduce the cost of living in the Empire State, reduce taxes and cut the red tape, especially unfunded state mandates that choke businesses and kills jobs.

As the Ranking Member on the Assembly Higher Education Committee, I am proud of the Legislature’s success in enhancing the state’s higher education system and in making college more accessible and affordable for Long Island families.

Since first being elected to the Assembly two years ago, I have delivered on my promise to make the timely investments in our higher education and transform New York State schools into innovation and thought leaders.  The SUNY 2020 program will help provide SUNY Stony Brook with the resources it needs to attract the best and brightest minds to the university while giving students and families the financial security to better meet the rising costs of obtaining a college education.

I am grateful for the opportunity the people of the 1st Assembly District have given me to represent them in the state Legislature, and I look forward to continuing the fight for a more affordable Long Island.  Have a happy and safe 4th of July.