A Statement by Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia)

With the clock ticking till the end of the regular Legislative Session this month, I am disappointed to hear that the new governor is focusing on issues such as same-sex marriage rather than the real concerns of the people of this state. Every day, we are losing businesses and jobs because of New York State’s excessive spending and taxation, which is the highest in the nation. Consequently, we are losing residents who are following their jobs to greener pastures. I have long been advocating meaningful property tax relief as a sponsor of the Property Taxpayers’ Protection Act, cutting the cost of gasoline through eliminating the State’s sales tax on motor fuels, and taking a stand against the ever-increasing Thruway toll hikes. Even though the governor is from downstate, I am calling on him to address these and other concerns of upstate residents.

Not only does this new governor have his priorities mixed up, it also appears that he has taken a course in Spitzer 101: Overriding Due Process. Just like Spitzer ignored the State Legislature when deciding to hand out driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, our new governor is now making decisions unilaterally and without the input or consent of the State Legislature.

As a former member of the State Senate and as a witness to Spitzer’s eventual hubris, this Governor should be more in tune with the due process of our State. He should know that the members of the State Legislature are elected to represent our constituents and ensure their voices are being heard. He cannot ignore the people of this State and he cannot ignore the members of the State Legislature. However, it is not too late. I am calling on the governor to re-think his unilateral plan regarding same-sex marriages.