“The Governor continues to miss opportunities with his proposed budget. Instead of reducing the high tax burden for New Yorkers and creating a friendlier business environment, he announced new taxes for employers.

“His speech painted a foreboding picture of our future but was void of actual numbers. Ironically, the problems he mentions today such as high taxes are self-induced. New York has the highest taxes in the nation and the Governor has done little to reduce the overall tax burden. In addition, he used the podium today to, once again, talk about changes at the federal level instead of focusing on problems closer to home.

“During budget talks, I plan to push back on any new taxes that will ultimately hurt our already-challenged Upstate economy. On a positive note, I was pleased to hear him mention the continuation of the middle class tax cuts and more funding for schools but I look forward to learning more details in the full budget proposal.”