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Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb is among those who believe Albany can and should do better. Read more here

By JIM MILLER jmiller@fltimes.com

GENEVA — Local legislators praised the state budget passed Friday as a step in the right direction, but they called for more work in several areas.

The Legislature, notorious for its late budgets, approved the spending plan ahead of the April 1 deadline for the second year in a row. It increases school aid, creates the framework for legalized gambling and shifts some Medicaid costs to the state.

“It was done in the daylight hours, which was the best thing,” said Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-129 of Canandaigua, who contrasted the budget vote with an all-night legislative session two weeks ago that left little time for transparency, debate or public input.

Overall, the budget cuts spending and closes a $2 billion funding gap without creating new taxes or fees.

“The budget makes smart investments that will produce positive results in our communities,” state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-54 of Fayette, said in a press release. “It continues to support education so our children have the resources they need to succeed, delivering the 4 percent increase in overall school aid we worked with the governor last year to secure. As a result, schools across my Senate district will see a more than $12 million increase in day-to-day operating state aid for the 2012-13 school year.

“The budget also makes restorations to the EPIC prescription drug program so senior citizens in the program will once again have their co-pays capped at $20. Most importantly, this budget continues to invest in promoting regional, long-term job development and partnerships to create more private sector jobs.”

Legislators dealt with many of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s more contentious proposals in the all-night session that Kolb decried. They created a new pension tier for future state employees, an all-crimes DNA databank and a teacher evaluation system, and they changed the way redistricting will be done after future census years.

In addition, legislators voted to amend the state constitution to allow up to seven new, privately owned commercial casinos.

The final budget did include several changes from Cuomo’s proposals.

“I would call it a lot more tweaking and give-and-take on certain things rather than major changes to what the governor had originally proposed in his executive budget,” said Kolb, who spoke with the Times by phone shortly after his House approved the spending plan Friday afternoon.

Kolb singled out school aid. Legislators redirected $200 million of Cuomo’s $805 million aid increase from competitive grants to general aid. That could benefit local districts because the grants would likely have gone to major urban centers.

“I think that was a big deal,” Kolb said. “It’s going to affect more low-wealth districts.”

The Legislature also restored funding for rural and neighborhood housing agencies and undid several other cuts. In addition, at the behest of Kolb and Nozzolio, the budget includes $8 million for Finger Lakes Community College to build a Viticulture Center in Geneva and for greenhouse work at the Agricultural Experiment Station.

While generally pleased with the budget, local lawmakers wanted it to go farther than it did.

“Overall, I would have liked to have seen more done with our schools, to try to help there,” said Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, R-136 of Corning. “I would have liked to have seen a lot more aggressive takeover of the Medicaid growth for counties.”

The budget calls for the state to gradually assume responsibility for increases in Medicaid costs, effectively freezing the county share. Kolb and his Republican colleagues in the Assembly wanted the state to freeze the entire share now.

Their other proposals included:

• A moratorium on unfunded mandates.

• A state spending cap.

• Suspending the state’s sales tax on gasoline.

• Providing aid to help school districts cover the cost of the new teacher evaluations.

• Tax relief for small businesses.

The Democrats, who hold the majority in the Assembly, did not adopt the proposals.

“We … provided amendments that went on the record today,” Kolb said. “We’ve got records now of who voted for these ideas and who didn’t vote for these ideas. We believe these are some of the position points that they didn’t consider.”

Depending on who you talk to, Kolb said, Friday’s vote marked the first time the state passed an early budget since 1983. Some consider last year’s budget to have been passed a few hours early.

“Not long ago, the possibility for the New York state budget to be adopted on time, let alone early, would have been the longest of longshots,” state Sen. Tom O’Mara, R-53 of Big Flats, said in a press release. “It’s important that the past two years have produced on-time state budgets and actions that put the brakes on runaway spending and higher taxes, and that signal a future of spending control, tax relief and private-sector job growth. It’s important that the past two years, even in the face of deficits and a nationwide economic crisis, have produced fiscal reforms and a stronger commitment to upstate economic growth and other fundamental priorities. There’s more we need to do, and we’re going to keep at it. But we’re moving in the right direction.”

“For the second consecutive year, New York’s budget will be on-time, fiscally responsible and make long-term investments in job creation, economic development and education, while taking another step closer to a more streamlined state government.  I am proud of our Conference’s contributions – such as insisting on following the Budget Reform Act of 2007 and convening Joint Budget Conference Committees in public, while holding the line on spending and against tax hikes – that laid the groundwork for today’s success.  However, in terms of achieving 100 percent transparency and ending secrecy, Albany remains a work in progress.

Our Conference offered 15 smart solutions on the Assembly floor this week that would have eased the crushing financial squeeze on families, removed roadblocks for job creators and made this a better budget.  Our smart solutions, offered as amendments to the budget bills, included:

+ Repealing the 18-A Utility Assessment to cut electricity bills for families and job creators;

+ Placing a moratorium on unfunded mandates to prevent local property tax hikes;

+ Enacting a true State Spending Cap to ensure future budgets limit spending growth;

+ Suspending the State’s Sales Tax on gasoline;

+ Freezing the entire local share of Medicaid costs;

+ Eliminating the Wage Theft Prevention Act’s annual notice requirement;

+ Reducing the tax rate for manufacturers by 50 percent;

+ Providing aid to school districts for costs incurred from annual teacher evaluations;

+ Exempting child car seats from State Sales Tax;

+ Enacting the Small Business Relief Act to reduce the tax rate, lower energy costs and

   provide other savings to job creators;

+ Repealing the MTA Payroll Tax;

+ Making the 2011 Middle Class Tax Cut permanent;

+ Expanding NY Works youth employment program to all communities across the state;

+ Eliminating the Unemployment Insurance Assessment on employers; and

+ Ensuring fair and bi-partisan representation on the NYS Gaming Commission.

While our smart solutions did not make the final cut for the State Budget, issues such as job creation, economic development, delivering unfunded mandate relief and cutting costs for families must be front and center on the Assembly’s agenda for the remainder of session.  There is still much to do before we deliver what the New Yorktaxpayers deserve.”

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That was the mixture of messages delivered from the speakers’ dais and a variety of sportsmen and women gathered in and around the Well area of the Legislative Office Building in Albany on Tuesday. The gathering, a Sportsmen and Outdoor Recreation Legislative Awareness Day organized by Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb of Geneva, brought together about 1,000 supporters, presenters and listeners.

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To watch the video click here

The event, sponsored by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association and the state Assembly Minority Conference, is designed to bring together gun owners and Second Amendment supporters from around the state to meet with their state representatives. It will feature exhibits and presentations by advocates and experts.

The scheduled keynote speaker is Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association.

In the past, the Onondaga and Oswego county federations of sportsmen’s clubs have teamed to organize charter buses for those who want to attend. I’ll keep readers posted when I find out more.

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Check it out here on Capitol Tonight

or here from NY1 Online

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