Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C,Ref- Meco) joined his colleagues on February 27 to announce their priorities as budget negotiations begin in Albany. The Assembly Minority Conference unveiled their “Budget Blueprint for a Better NY,” which prioritizes common-sense policies that supersede partisan political agendas. The priorities highlighted in the plan include:

• A permanent 2 percent property tax cap
• Provide a living wage for direct-care workers
• Keep the middle-class tax cuts on track
• Increase funding for the CHIPS program
• Increase financial aid to libraries
• Provide unfunded mandate relief to local municipalities
• Assist small businesses in the state
• Improve the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and provide student loan relief
• Demand a hearing on the prison closure proposals
• Sustain AIM funding levels and keep the program intact

“I believe the best approach to finding a consensus on the budget is to hone in on the issues everyday New Yorkers face,” said Smullen. “Instead of focusing on a partisan agenda, we’re offering solutions that involve compromise, and that all legislators know will benefit the people of New York. Our Budget Blueprint offers this, and I hope to see the leadership take up these recommendations.”