Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) voted against the Assembly Majority’s misguided budget resolution that favors New York City-area projects at the expense of communities in Upstate and Western New York. Hawley indicated several specific areas that led to his vote in the negative.

“The Assembly Majority’s budget resolution was business as usual: take from Upstate and give to downstate,” said Hawley. “This budget failed to include funding for the Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP). The proposal swept money from the New York State Insurance Fund that should have been used to help small- business owners afford the excessive premiums related to worker’s compensation insurance. This resolution awarded New York City’s schools with grants they failed to qualify for when every other school district in the state put in the time and effort to earn their share of funding. While I have sponsored legislation to end the surcharge on utilities, this proposal extended that fee. The tale of two New York’s becomes more evident by the day.”