Albany, N.Y., March 13—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today said that “one-house” budget resolutions being approved today by the Legislature’s Democratic majorities in the Senate and Assembly “tax too much, spend too much, and send New York State down a road of taxing and spending that’s dangerous for taxpayers, job creators, and workers.”
O’Mara has been calling for state leaders to make tax relief a priority in the new state budget. Instead, he said that the adopted budget resolutions – documents that essentially spell out the priorities that the Senate and Assembly majorities will take into final budget negotiations with Governor Andrew Cuomo – rely on upwards of $1.5 billion in new taxes and fees to support significant new state spending. The new taxes now on the table include a new sales tax on internet purchases that will impact all consumers.
“A tax-and-spend approach to government failed New York State in the past. It will fail New York State again. We cannot risk taxing, spending, regulating, and mandating New Yorkers to death, but here we go,” said O’Mara, noting that the last time state government fell under one-party, Democratic control, taxes and fees were increased by $14 billion to support upwards of $14 billion in new state spending.
