27 DAYS UNTIL NEW YORK STATE’S BUDGET DEADLINE

Legislative column from Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua)

27 days and counting – even less by the time this weekly legislative column is published – until New York’s April 1 fiscal deadline when the 2010-11 State Budget is due. With that looming deadline fast approaching, I believe that all 212 legislators and Governor David Paterson need to get back to work on the budget and focus on deliberations, not distractions.
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ASSEMBLY GOP LEADER BRIAN KOLB: WITH ONLY 28 DAYS UNTIL NY’S BUDGET DEADLINE, LEGISLATORS NEED TO FOCUS ON DELIBERATIONS, NOT DISTRACTIONS

Announces Assembly GOP appointments to Budget Conference Committee, says New Yorkers deserve a “fiscally responsible, on time State Budget”

ALBANY, NY – With just 28 days remaining until New York’s April 1 fiscal deadline when the 2010-11 State Budget is due, Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) today said all 212 legislators and Governor David Paterson “need to focus on deliberations, not distractions.” Kolb announced the Assembly Republican Conference’s appointees to the Joint Budget Conference Committee, saying it was part of an effort to try and jump start budget deliberations and achieve a fiscally responsible, on time spending plan despite the media firestorm and controversies surrounding the Governor that have become a major distraction for media and policy makers alike.
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Rochester Business Journal on Leader Kolb’s Reaction to Paterson Ending His Election Bid

Paterson Ends Election Bid

By THOMAS ADAMS

Gov. David Paterson on Friday announced he will not run for a full four-year term.

“Today I am announcing that I am ending my campaign for governor of the state of New York,” Paterson said during a mid-afternoon news conference.
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REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB: NY’S LATEST CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE IS OVER, GOVERNOR PATERSON DID THE RIGHT THING IN NOT SEEKING ELECTION

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

“Like so many New Yorkers, I have been deeply concerned about the shocking and serious criminal allegations pending against Governor Paterson’s staffer David Johnson. Charges of physical violence perpetrated against women must be investigated with the utmost seriousness and, if proven true, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
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Syracuse Post-Standard: NYS lawmakers balking at governor’s plan to delay income tax refunds

By Delen Goldberg / The Post-Standard

Syracuse, NY – Gov. David Paterson’s plan to delay New Yorkers’ income tax refunds is unlikely to materialize, according to state legislators from both parties who oppose the idea.

Senate and Assembly Republicans and Democrats — as well as taxpayers — have come out in droves against Paterson’s proposal to delay by a few weeks $700 million in tax refunds. The state is facing a $1.4 billion budget gap that needs to be closed by April, and Paterson says the delays are necessary to ensure the state doesn’t go bankrupt.
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REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB & ASSEMBLY GOP RELEASE CONSENSUS STATE REVENUE FORECAST

ALBANY, NY – Years of fiscally irresponsible policies, government overspending, the prolonged economic downturn and a sharp drop-off in state tax revenues have fueled an explosive growth in New York’s two-year budget gap, according to Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) and Members of the Assembly Republican Conference, who publicly released their Consensus State Revenue Forecast today.
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Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Editorial: State lawmakers need to change their behavior and work harder to fix problems

The calendar shows it’s well into the year 2010, but state lawmakers have failed to hold robust discussions on so many of the things that need fixing.

A visit to the Editorial Board last week by E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center for New York State Policy was a grim reminder that much needs reforming in the way the state operates, from too-generous union contracts to Medicaid payments.

Yet little legislative dialogue has taken place so far. The governor’s budget and program plans need robust vetting and debate. Lawmakers shouldn’t wait till right before the budget deadline of April 1 to start talking. This year, especially, budget hearings need to be held early and in public.

While Democrats control both the Assembly and Senate, they seem incapable of working with the governor to get meaningful legislation passed. Case in point, an ethics bill. It often appears that the governor isn’t even a part of the same Democratic Party, let alone a former leader in the state Senate. Compromise is in order.

Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb of Canandaigua told the Editorial Board last week that he is willing to work with anyone in any party to affect change. He said he has bipartisan support in both the Assembly and Senate for his effort to get a vote on constitutional convention legislation.
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That Tax Refund Check May Not Be In The Mail

Legislative column from Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua)

According to the Internal Revenue Service’s official website, right around this time in 2009, it had already received approximately 56 million individual tax returns, which constituted a moderate increase over the previous year. Many media outlets are already reporting that, largely due to the prolonged recession, more people than ever will be filing, or have filed, their taxes early in the hopes of getting a refund sooner and avoiding the inevitable last minute rush in the lead up to April 15.

If you are one of the millions of New Yorkers who has already filed their taxes in anticipation of getting a timely state refund, get ready for some potentially frustrating news. You might be waiting awhile for that check because Governor David Paterson is actually considering a delay in sending out taxpayer refunds due to the state’s ongoing cash crunch.

Yes, you read that correctly. Your state government is actually contemplating a policy where it would hang onto your money longer than necessary because it has been unwilling and unable to get its financial house in order.

Have you had enough yet?

THE “NICKEL AND DIMING” OF NEW YORKERS

State government’s inexplicable decision to even entertain the ridiculous notion of withholding taxpayer refunds – also known as your money – will only cause more financial pain to individuals and small businesses who were counting on getting their money back. It is the latest infuriating case of what I call the perpetual “nickel and diming” of New Yorkers and it needs to stop.

Over the past few weeks, I have told you all about the over $1 billion in new taxes, fees and surcharges within the Governor’s 2010-11 Executive Budget. This would be $1 billion on top of the $8.2 billion in taxes and fees imposed by last year’s budget. I also wrote about how the Governor’s current spending plan would cost the typical New York family of four more than $1,800 annually through higher taxes on everything from soda and sports drinks to health care.

Now, piled on top of all these crushing costs, is state government’s consideration of a plan to delay rightful tax refunds, money that belongs to taxpayers in the first place!

STATE GOVERNMENT MUST STOP PENALIZING NEW YORKERS WHO DO THE RIGHT THING

People who submitted their tax returns in advance should have a reasonable expectation of receiving a timely refund. However, instead of getting your money back, state government is hatching a scheme to hold onto it until April – and possibly longer. Taxpayers who played by the rules should not be penalized because for decades state government failed to manage its finances and cash flow. Bottom line? State government has to stop penalizing New Yorkers who do the right thing.

Governor Paterson needs to put an immediate stop to any consideration of such an absurd public policy and ensure New York taxpayers do not have to wait to get their money back.

TELL GOVERNOR PATERSON: DON’T DELAY OUR REFUNDS!

Folks, a tax refund is your money, plain and simple. State government should not be allowed to simply sit on it for months because it is unable to make tough decisions and balance the budget. I don’t want you to get mad – I want you to give those in state government responsible for considering this absurdity a piece of your mind!

Accordingly, if you already filed your taxes and are expecting a refund, contact Governor David Paterson and let him know it’s your money – not state government’s – and that you want it back. Below is a web address and phone number so you can express your concerns directly. If you think contacting state government is a waste of time, think again – your phone calls and e-mails have a profound impact on the policy process. I have said it before and I will say it again: when the people speak loudly, Albany listens closely.

HOW TO CONTACT GOVERNOR PATERSON

1.) Go to www.state.ny.us/governor
2.) On the left side is a section titled “Contact the Governor” – click that
3.) This will take you to a page where you can submit your concerns directly via e-mail
4.) You can also call the Governor at (518) 474-8390

As always, constituents wishing to discuss this topic, or any other state-related matter, should contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, or e-mail me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and informational updates regarding state government and our Assembly Republican Conference.

Buffalo News: ‘People’s Convention’ for state is pushed

Ordinary citizens seen as force in Albany reform
By Harold McNeil
NEWS STAFF REPORTER

Ordinary citizens who are currently unelected to any public office may hold the keys to making state government run better, according to five Republican members of the Assembly who are pushing for “A People’s Convention to Reform New York Act.”

To that end, they shared details of the legislation with about 200 local residents who came Thursday night to the auditorium of Union Pleasant Avenue Elementary School in Hamburg.

“Let the people decide — that’s all of us — and decide in November whether they want to have a convention or not to try to change their state government,” said Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb of Canandaigua. Joining him were Assemblywoman Jane L. Corwin of Clarence and Assemblymen Jack F. Quinn III of Hamburg, Joseph M. Giglio of Gowanda and Stephen M. Hawley of Batavia.
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