State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos responds to Paterson's Reduction Plan

By WKTV News

Story Created: Nov 12, 2008 at 4:54 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 12, 2008 at 4:55 PM EST

ALBANY, N.Y. (WKTV) - State Senate majority leader Dean Skelos has released the following statement regarding Governor Paterson's deficit reduction plan.

"Governor Paterson is right that we need to close the budget deficit
by cutting spending, and we stand ready to join him and the Assembly in
doing so. The Republican Senate Majority proved that in August when we partnered to cut more than $1 billion in spending to keep the budget in balance.

Since the proposed actions announced by the Governor today will
impact an 18-month period, the Governor should give us his 2009-10
Executive Budget now. Before the Legislature acts, we need to see what the Governor is proposing for next year. These important decisions about New York’s future cannot be made in a vacuum.

We must avoid any job-killing taxes and fee increases, which the
Governor is proposing. We must not simply pass costs down to school
districts and local governments, and force them to raise taxes.

The bottom line is we need a commitment from all of the parties to
cut spending and to not raise taxes, and we stand ready to join our
colleagues in government to address the State’s fiscal challenges."
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