ASSEMBLY GOP LEADER BRIAN KOLB: WITH ONLY 21 DAYS UNTIL BUDGET DEADLINE, GOVERNOR PATERSON SHOULD CONVENE AN IMMEDIATE PUBLIC LEADERS’ MEETING

STATEMENT FROM ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER
BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA)

“With only 21 days remaining until New York State’s budget is due and many unanswered questions about how we are going to close a projected $9.05 billion budget shortfall, I am calling on Governor Paterson to convene an immediate, public meeting of the Legislative Leaders to help move budgetary deliberations forward. There are many ideas requiring a public vetting, including Lieutenant Governor Ravitch’s recently announced proposal to address the state’s structural budget challenges. Last year, secrecy and closed door negotiations won out over transparency, openness and common sense – and the bitter fruit it yielded is part of the reason for our current fiscal nightmare. Just as people have called for federal health care legislation deliberations to be broadcast on C-SPAN, here in New York we need discussions on the 2010-11 State Budget to be 100 percent open and transparent for the media and taxpayers alike. A good beginning would be the immediate convening of a public Legislative Leaders’ meeting by Governor Paterson.”