REPUBLICAN LEADER BRIAN KOLB: NEW YORKERS ARE FED UP AND WANT ACTION ON THE LATE BUDGET‏

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

“During our gathering today, I again called on Governor Paterson to convene public Legislative Leaders’ meetings to break the budget impasse and for the Democrat Majorities in both houses to begin following the law by convening Conference Committees to get a spending plan done. I also urged the Governor to move forward with the collection of hundreds of millions in taxes on cigarettes and gasoline sold on Native American lands to non-Native American Indians. With a $9.05 billion budget deficit, it makes absolutely no sense for state government to continue allowing this revenue to go uncollected.

New York’s budget is now 48 days past due and there is still no plan or clear way forward offered by either of the Majorities. Our Conference has repeatedly called for timetables and an open, transparent process, while offering specific cost-savings proposals to close the budget deficit to the Governor and both Majority Conferences. We have received no response to our budget ideas.

Simply doing nothing or allowing another 48 days to go by without having a State Budget in place is unacceptable. Our Assembly Republican Conference is ready to go and ready to act.”