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O’Mara serves as Ranking Member on Senate Finance Committee
Albany, N.Y., January 23—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, today said that a monthlong series of public hearings on Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2025-2026 proposed state budget get underway next week in Albany.
The first budget hearing is being held on Tuesday with an examination of the governor’s Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation proposals. The hearings can be viewed on O’Mara’s state Senate website, www.omara.nysenate.gov, and on the state Senate website at www.nysenate.gov/events. Archived video of each hearing will be available.
Conducted jointly by the Senate Finance Committee, and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, the forums will examine the governor’s proposals in detail and solicit testimony from state agency officials, public policy and fiscal experts, local government representatives, business leaders, educators, farmers, and other advocates.
O’Mara has served as the top Republican on the Finance Committee since 2021. He said he looks forward to having a direct voice on the legislative committee most responsible for overseeing the adoption of the state’s annual budget and setting the course for New York’s short- and long-term fiscal practices and responsibilities.
“Senate Republicans will continue to be a voice for lower taxes, less regulation, greater accountability, affordability, economic growth, job creation, and more common sense on state fiscal practices. I welcome the start of this year’s budget hearings, at this critical time, for direct input and critique on a range of policy areas that will decide the short- and long-term future and strength of our local communities and economies,” said O’Mara, who represents the 58th Senate District comprised of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates counties, and a part of Allegany County.
The following hearings schedule has been released:
January 27, beginning at 1:00 p.m., Agriculture/Parks and Recreation
January 28, 9:30 a.m., Environmental Conservation/Energy
January 29, 9:30 a.m., Elementary and Secondary Education
February 4, 9:30 a.m., Local/General Government
February 5, 9:30 a.m., Mental Hygiene
February 6, 9:30 a.m., Transportation
February 11, 9:30 a.m., Health
February 12, 9:30 a.m., Human Services
February 13, 9:30 a.m., Public Protection
February 25, 9:30 a.m., Higher Education
February 26, 9:30 a.m., Workforce Development/Labor and 2:00 p.m., Economic Development/Arts
February 27, 9:30 a.m., Housing and 2:00 p.m., Taxes.
O’Mara said, “We need to keep working against a New York State tax and regulatory mindset that puts our businesses and manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage, imposes red tape that strangles local economies, or prioritizes higher and higher spending, overtaxing, outrageous mandates, and burdensome overregulation.”
