|
|
 |
|
|
Senator Bruno speaks to reporters at a press availability following the Governor’s State of the State Address in the Capitol Building. |
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
Governor Pataki�s State of the State message clearly spelled out the challenges that are before us this session. We need to close the budget deficit without eroding the progress we have made in making New York more economically competitive and creating jobs. We have set the state on the right course for the future and now is not the time to go back to the days when high taxes force businesses to leave the state.
I applaud the Governor for his commitment to continuing the tax cuts that have made New York more competitive and his commitment to building on those tax cuts to create more jobs. I also applaud his commitment to his Centers for Excellence Program and the Senate�s Gen*NY*sis biotechnology economic development program and his call for additional investments in our high tech and biotech job creation efforts.
We cannot reverse course to the days when jobs left our state by the thousands, we must continue to be competitive for new businesses, such as International Sematech and for other jobs in emerging industries.
We need creative ideas that will help us meet a temporary fiscal crisis. The Senate Majority is prepared to begin working with Governor Pataki and the Assembly as soon as possible on a new budget. There is already speculation that budget negotiations will go well into the summer or be held hostage to non-budget issues. It doesn�t have to be that way. The Senate will, once again, make budget reform our top priority. We will introduce a budget reform plan that will restore public confidence in the process and resolve budget disputes in a timely fashion.
I hope the Assembly will join us in changing the budget process so we can avoid unnecessary delays and get down to the business of enacting a new budget that meets the fiscal challenges spelled out by the Governor today.
[BIOGRAPHY] [DISTRICT MAP] [PHOTO GALLERY] [LEGISLATION] [CONSTITUENT SERVICES] [YOUR OPINION COUNTS] [GUESTBOOK] [PRIVACY POLICY] [SENATE INSIDER] [CONTACT INFO] [HOME/NEWS]