LEADER BRIAN KOLB: “GOVERNOR PATERSON AND THE DEMOCRAT MAJORITIES HAVE NOT DELIVERED ON THEIR PROMISE OF AN OPEN STATE BUDGET PROCESS – WE NEED TRUE TRANSPARENCY, NOT MORE WINDOW DRESSING”
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“At our public Legislative Leaders’ meeting this morning, I asked Governor Paterson why he had not provided important budgetary information to the Minority Conferences as was promised, and why the Majorities in both houses have still not convened the Joint Conference Committee as state law requires. Since he seemed to have forgotten, I reminded the Governor that our Assembly Republican Conference had already provided to him, and the other Conferences, a detailed list of ideas to achieve billions in budgetary savings over three months ago.
(more…)
LEADER BRIAN KOLB: “NYS MUST GO FORWARD IN ENFORCING THE LAW AND COLLECTING TAXES ON CIGARETTES AND GASOLINE SOLD ON NATIVE AMERICAN LANDS TO NON-NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS”
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN
LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“This morning, I proudly stood with members of the ‘Enforce the Law-Collect the Tax Coalition’ and other state officials from both political parties to again call for New York to move forward in collecting hundreds of millions in revenues being lost through cigarettes and gasoline sold on Native American lands to non-Native American Indians. The collection of these taxes must be a top priority before this legislative session concludes – Albany cannot be allowed to put it off for another year. I will continue speaking out, sponsoring legislation and leading the push for New York to secure these revenues. The time for further delay or additional review is over. It is time to move forward. It is time to enforce the law and collect the taxes.”
LEADER BRIAN KOLB: “INSTEAD OF PASSING ANOTHER EXTENDER, THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE MAJORITIES SHOULD HAVE DONE THEIR JOB AND PASSED THE BUDGET”
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“Today, the Assembly and Senate Democrat Majorities passed the tenth emergency budget extender submitted by Governor Paterson since New York’s spending plan was due back on April 1. Doing partial cuts in this manner sets a bad precedent, is bad governance and represents bad public policy. Where is the accompanying revenue plan? Would any family put together their budget without knowing what their income or expenditures were? Of course not, it would be irresponsible. Also, what is the full impact of these cuts? How will they be absorbed? What are the cuts’ implications for employment? None of these questions has been answered to taxpayers’ satisfaction. We need a purposeful process, not a series of random actions. Quite simply, we need a budget.
(more…)
ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB CONTINUES FIGHTING FOR REAL REFORM IN ALBANY
Kolb is recognized by good government coalition “New York Uprising”
as a supporter of reforming state government
Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) continues to be recognized as a strong supporter of reforming New York’s broken state government, having been recognized by “New York Uprising,” – a non-partisan, independent good government coalition launched by former New York City Mayor Ed Koch – for signing their reform pledges.
(more…)
NOW IS THE TIME FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNING, NOT MISPLACED PRIORITIES
Legislative column from Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua)
“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.” Those are the words of American Patriot Samuel Adams.
This rousing quote is framed in the doorway of my Albany office. These days the nights have been long, and overflowing with frustration as day after day passes without a state spending plan and school districts, construction contractors, local governments and non-profits suffer the consequences. Nevertheless, I still believe in the heart of New York, the hardworking folks all across our state who work tirelessly to simply make ends meet and want Albany to do its job and pass a fiscally responsible budget.
(more…)
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“Having failed spectacularly when it comes to dealing with the problems that face New York State, the Assembly Democrat Majority has sunk to a new low.
So what if New York faces massive and mounting debt and deficit. So what if the Legislature and Governor are unable or unwilling to meet their constitutionally mandated duty of having the state budget in place not later than April 1. So what if we are entering our third month without a budget in place and yet we are still no closer to a solution than we were three months ago. So what if Albany under Democratic control is dysfunctional and everyone knows it.
New York State Assembly Democrats have decided that what we need to be doing today is advising the Governor and Legislature of some other state about what that state needs to be doing. With our State Budget now 63 days past due, this is clearly a case of misplaced priorities on the Majority’s part.
Today they want us to waste time and effort on Resolution No. 1282 by Members of Assembly which urges that other people – members of Congress from our state denounce, that’s the word they use – a new Arizona law taking effect July 29 which, in a nutshell, does little more than reiterate long-standing federal law and obligates state and local law enforcement agencies to assist in enforcement of the laws of the land governing illegal entry into this country.
This idea that the New York State Assembly should publicly critique laws passed in other states opens up a vast new field of useless endeavor. Where would the Democrats have us draw the line? Are they suggesting that they are such masters of governing that they should also be consultants to the other 49 states?
It seems not to occur to them that they just might have gotten things backwards here. Instead of demanding that Arizona heed their advice perhaps they would be better off asking the Governor and Legislature of Arizona to show them how to go about adopting a budget on time.”
LEADER BRIAN KOLB: GOVERNOR PATERSON’S CLAIM OF $74 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND COST SAVINGS TO RE-OPEN STATE PARKS RINGS HOLLOW
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“While I am pleased that our state’s parks and historic sites will be re-opened for the Memorial Day holiday after Governor Paterson had closed them, his claims of reducing General Fund spending by $74 million rings hollow. This deal, brokered by the Democrat Majorities to re-open the parks, was based on a re-programming of Real Estate Transfer Taxes, raiding the State’s Environmental Protection Fund, along with an imposition of millions in new fees, including $10.8 million in surcharges from last year’s budget and $2.1 million in new fines. The Governor essentially ransomed our State Parks to impose yet another fee increase on New York taxpayers. I can’t decide what is worse: the fact the Governor closed our State Parks or his mischaracterizing how their re-opening will be paid for. This is a cash grab, plain and simple.”
-30-
REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB: GOVERNOR PATERSON’S COMMENTS ON THE STATE PARKS WERE “ABSURD”
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“Governor Paterson’s comments this afternoon – on the breakdown of a deal to re-open our state parks and historic sites – were absurd. The Governor was the one who closed the parks in the first place and now, in the face of intense public criticism, he is trying to deflect the blame. It is up to the Governor to release the funding necessary to re-open the parks, especially before the Memorial Day holiday arrives. If the Governor wanted to re-open the parks, he could do so today. For him to try to indicate otherwise is ridiculous.
(more…)
ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB CO-SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO ENFORCE LAWFUL COLLECTION OF CIGARETTE SALES TAXES
As part of his continued efforts to ensure the collection of excise taxes on cigarettes sold on Native American lands to non-Native American Indians, Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) has co-sponsored legislation that would help ensure a fair and level playing field for all of New York’s retailers. The legislation Kolb is co-sponsoring, Assembly Bill A.10128-A, would direct all cigarette wholesalers to sell only tax-stamped cigarettes to everyone, unless presented with an Indian tax exemption coupon.
The bill has taken on heightened importance in the wake of a recent State Court of Appeals ruling in favor of the Cayuga Indian Nation allowing their continued refusal to collect the taxes. The initiative, introduced by Democrat Assemblyman Bill Magee, is currently before the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for consideration.
“It is unfair that mom-and-pop convenience stores and neighborhood gas stations are expected to uphold the law while the Cayuga Indian Nation continues to operate above it,” said Kolb. “I strongly believe that all our state laws should be upheld and enforced fairly and without favor. Clearly, this is currently not the case and failure to do so creates an unfair advantage for businesses operating on Native American lands.”
Earlier this year, Governor Paterson had said that the required state regulations to collect cigarette sales taxes for purchases made on Native American lands by non-Native American Indians would be in place within six months. With July marking that six month deadline, Kolb continues pressing to get the regulations in place and is the only Legislative Leader in state government continually advocating for the law to be enforced and the taxes to be collected.
“The state needs to put regulations in place to access this revenue stream as soon as possible to finally level the playing field for all retailers, not just a select few. Taking this action could put New York on course to generate an extra $600 million in revenues to begin the process of closing the state’s $9.05 billion budget deficit,” Kolb stated.
“I am working to make the collection of these taxes on gasoline and cigarettes a top priority and urging my fellow legislators to pass the bill I am co-sponsoring so we can finally provide a fair and level playing field for everyone,” Kolb concluded. “The time for action is now.”
REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB: WE HAVE TO REDUCE THE SIZE AND COST OF STATE GOVERNMENT
STATEMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB (R,I,C-CANANDAIGUA):
“During our public Legislative Leaders’ meeting today, I said New York’s fiscal crisis will only be solved by reducing the size and cost of state government. Cutting government spending is not popular, but it is the only realistic way to close the state’s budget deficit and get New York back on track toward financial solvency. We need a non-partisan approach and for all the Conferences to set politics aside to make spending reductions a priority. The fact that Conference Committees are scheduled to finally convene on Thursday is welcome news to myself and our Assembly Republican Conference, as we have continually pushed the Democrat Majorities in both houses to follow the law by taking this necessary and long overdue step. With the State Budget now 55 days past due, there is not a moment to waste in getting a fiscally responsible spending plan done.”
