(Albany, NY) Today the State Senate passed its 4th straight on-time budget. Below please find State Senator Ted O’Brien’s statement:
“The 2014-15 state budget provides $1.5 billion in property tax relief. The Upstate property tax burden remains as the biggest impediment to our economic development efforts. This budget will also boost job creation in our region, toughen penalties on corrupt politicians, and increase funding for our public schools. However, our work to make sure Upstate’s voice is heard in Albany is far from done.
While millions of dollars in additional state aid and child care subsidies for Monroe County will help reduce the cost burden on our local governments, we must do more to address unfunded mandates – the biggest driver of rising property taxes – once and for all. In addition to property tax relief, this budget strengthens our economic development efforts in three important ways. First, it will stimulate our emerging innovation economy by increasing funding for our regional centers of excellence, including Data Science of the University of Rochester and Sustainable Manufacturing at R.I.T. Second it will provide funding for workforce development that will help train workers for jobs that our local employers need to fill now. And third, the budget includes increased funding for the promotion of tourism in the Rochester and Finger Lakes region – an increasingly important component of our regional economy.
Finally, we must also take even greater steps toward fighting political corruption, and I am disappointed that the Senate Majority Coalition voted down my amendment to strip the pensions of politicians convicted of corruption.
This budget is not perfect by any means, but it does address some important needs of the Rochester and Finger Lakes areas. In the coming months, I will continue to stand up for Upstate and fight to make our region an even better place to live and do business in for the hardworking families and small businesses I represent.”
