The Peru Gazette

LITTLE, SENATE COLLEAGUES ADVANCE BUDGET PROCESS
Propose tax relief, increased school aid and clean water funds

Senator Betty Little today voted in favor of a budget resolution that outlines the State Senate’s response to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget and keeps the Legislature on course for adoption of an on-time budget.

The Senate proposal calls for an increase in school aid, tax relief and workers compensation reform to help small businesses and billions of dollars for clean water and sewer projects throughout New York State.

“Today marks another important step in the budget process, our chance to offer alternatives to the governor’s budget based on what our constituents have told us,” said Little. “From this point, we now negotiate with the Assembly and Governor.”

The Senate Republican plan would reverse changes made last year to the STAR, school property tax relief, program that had created confusion and caused the delay of payments to local taxpayers.

The Senate plan rejects a number of tax-and-fee increases proposed by the governor, including new Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) fees, new taxes on internet purchases and a new surcharge on pre-paid cell phones. In addition, to help avoid future tax increases, the Senate’s resolution imposes a statutory cap on state spending.

Little and her colleagues are advancing workers’ compensation reforms sought by small businesses, such as updates to duration caps and schedule loss of use awards.

School aid funding would increase five percent over last year, for a total of $1.2 billion, bringing the total investment in schools to a record level of $25.4 billion.

The State Senate proposes nearly $8 billion to ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean, safe drinking water by addressing extensive water quality issues and infrastructure needs. This includes: creation of a new $5 billion Clean Water Bond Act; support for the proposed $2 billion for clean water infrastructure; establishment of a new Drinking Water Quality Institute; and creation of the Emerging Contamination Monitoring Act.
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The budget proposal seeks to make college more affordable for more students, regardless of whether they attend a public or private college in New York State, by increasing the minimum TAP award from $500 to $3,000 and the maximum to $5,500. Income thresholds would also be increased to $100,000 in 2017-18; $110,000 in 2018-19; and $125,000 in 2019-20.

Little and her colleagues are also proposing $45 million annually to compensate direct care professionals who care for individuals with disabilities.

The Senate and Assembly will soon convene joint conference committees, which will work to reconcile differences between the budget proposals of both houses with the goal of adopting a new budget by April 1.