“Today, I voted against the hyper-partisan state budget wish-list introduced by the Assembly Majority. This one-house budget is the embodiment of New York City special interests and partisan politics. I could not in good conscience vote in favor of a budget that would raise taxes by $7 billion, carelessly spend hard-working New Yorkers’ money and didn’t fairly represent Western New York values.

“The inclusion of the DREAM Act, the lack of ridesharing for Western New York, a plan to provide free healthcare for illegals and the absence of a second-chance high school program for those battling drug addiction set the tone of this resolution. For the Assembly Majority, today wasn’t about helping everyday New Yorkers; it was about pleasing political elites and campaign contributors.

“While this budget was merely a symbolic gesture, I was encouraged to see the increased funding that schools, hospitals, roads and bridges in our district so desperately need. I am also pleased to see funding proposed for direct-care workers, our districts libraries, Buffalo Billions Squared and the Western New York Children Psychiatric Center. When the time comes to vote on the final budget on March 31, we will see a drastically different process take place, one that will allow me to vote in favor of items that our district demands, while rejecting the items that do not best represent our interests. The addition of these items is crucial, and is something I look forward to.”