“I was deeply disturbed today as I watched the Assembly Majority politicians on the Correction Committee vote to raise taxes on New Yorkers who work hard and play by the rules to fund multi-million dollar pay raises and cost of living adjustments for violent inmates working in correctional facilities. It’s an insult to every hardworking parent who needs a raise, every family farmer struggling to keep their family tradition alive and every senior struggling to stay in their home. It’s yet another insult to crime victims. It's yet another misplaced priority by Assembly Majority politicians.

“We won’t solve the rising violence and problems in our prisons by giftwrapping inmates iPads, taxpayer funded college degrees and higher wages. We’ll solve the problems in our prisons by keeping facilities open so we’re not double-bunking and double-celling dangerous inmates. We’ll solve the problems in our prisons when we let correction officers use proven disciplinary tools to keep them and other inmates safe. We’ll solve the problems in our prisons by promoting respect and discipline instead of handouts,” said Palmesano.