The governor discussed many different proposals today. Although they may be well intentioned, I believe he missed the mark on a number of fronts, including not being bold or aggressive enough in fostering a better business climate for job creation in upstate New York, not addressing the true cost drivers that continue to drive up local property taxes, and a blatant disregard for improving the roads and bridges in our upstate local communities while pouring billions of dollars into infrastructure needs downstate.

I said it before, and I will say it again, we must take bold and aggressive measures to reduce the tax and regulatory burden that is placed on all of our small businesses, manufacturers and job creators in order to encourage private sector investment back into our upstate economy and create jobs. Another upstate competition that simply picks winners and losers does not signal confidence to the business community and the very people we want and need to locate, grow and keep a business here.

Although the governor wants to address the property tax burden that is facing businesses and families, his agenda failed to address the true reason for high property taxes – unfunded mandates. He can cap property taxes, freeze property taxes, and even subsidize property taxes as he has proposed, but the only way we will actually reduce the property tax burden that is crippling homeowners and businesses is to address the true cost drivers that continue to drive up local budgets, and, therefore, local property taxes -- the unfunded mandates that are placed on our local school districts and municipalities by Albany.

I am incredibly disappointed in the governor’s infrastructure plans, particularly his failure to address the local needs of fixing our roads and bridges in our local counties, cities, towns and villages. His plan was clearly focused on downstate. There should be an equitable distribution of these funds to ensure that the crumbling infrastructure in our local upstate communities is addressed like he proposed for those downstate.

I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues to put in place a budget that is fiscally responsible and addresses real reform for the people of this state.