Huntington Station Lawmaker Worried about Budget’s Impact on Long Island Residents

(Long Island, N.Y.) Assemblyman Jim Conte (R,I,C,WF-Huntington Station) today joined his Assembly and Senate Republican colleagues in raising concerns over the lack of transparency in this year’s budget negotiations at a press conference in Albany. 

In addition to raising alarms over the secrecy of the budget process, where input from Republican leaders as well as rank-and-file members have been largely excluded, Assemblyman Conte voiced his concern over reports that this year’s budget will have a severe impact on Long Island residents in regards to tax increases and reductions in state funding, specifically school funding.

“The initial reports and hearsay surrounding the budget process do not bode well for the hardworking families of Long Island,” said Conte.  “From increasing income and sales taxes to shifting school funding away from the region, Long Island appears to be on the verge of getting the short end of the stick this year, at a time when we can least afford to.”

“It appears that the governor and Democrat legislative leaders believe that Long Island has been unaffected by the current economic crisis, when nothing could be further from the truth.  Long Island has been severely hit by the Wall Street meltdown and homeowners in Suffolk and Nassau counties continue to pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation.  Long Island needs relief from this year’s state budget, not additional burdens,” remarked Conte.    

“Making matters worse is that Democrats seem intent on ramming through a spending plan with virtually no debate or scrutiny, using special “messages of necessity” to circumvent the legally required three-day waiting period designed to give lawmakers and the public time to review proposed new laws,” added Conte.

“Every economist I have heard says that raising taxes during an economic recession is the worst thing that can be done.  Unfortunately, that is exactly what Democrats are proposing to enact this year,” concluded Conte.