Local state representatives react to Paterson's proposed budget:

STATEMENT FROM ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN LEADER

JAMES TEDISCO (R, SCHENECTADY-SARATOGA):

“Gov. Paterson today unveiled his 2009-10 Executive Budget for the Legislature’s consideration, nearly a full month before he was constitutionally required to do so. I commend the Governor for bringing a quick start to this budget process. With a state deficit approaching $15 billion, this budget process will be decidedly difficult and painful. The reality is that there are no easy answers or quick fixes.

I am approaching this budget process and the governor’s budget with a focus on three core principles: no new taxes or tax hikes, the need to invest in our upstate and suburban economies and reining in the size, cost and reach of government.

Regrettably, on the first principle, the governor’s budget falls short. Gov. Paterson’s budget raises taxes — and even imposes new taxes — on middle class families and small businesses by almost $4 billion. Raising and imposing new taxes penalizes New York’s middle class families, drives employers away and will ultimately worsen, prolong and deepen this economic recession.

Instead of raising taxes, we need to be reducing them. Cutting taxes, providing overtaxed homeowners a real property tax cap, and investing in jobs to grow our hurting economy — especially in upstate and the suburbs — those areas should command our attention.

All across New York, people are losing their jobs. Businesses are closing. Middle class families are hurting and being forced to cut back in almost every area. It is even worse across upstate, where our economy is in shambles, where so many communities have been devastated by a continued loss of manufacturing jobs. Things are not much better on Long Island, where the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing hurts families and first-time homebuyers.

Throughout this upcoming session — where we can, when we can — I will work with the Governor. Where I disagree — as I do with this budget’s tax hikes and imposition of a new ‘soda tax,’ — I will say so and offer substantive alternatives, just as I did in sending the governor a detailed list of 11 areas where he could reduce state spending. New York cannot afford legislators from either party acting as agents of delay or obstruction. We need real leadership, real solutions.

Our state has faced tough times before and we will face them again. I believe in the spirit, hard work and character of my fellow New Yorkers. We are the Empire State — we will get through this crisis and emerge stronger than before.”

Roy McDonald, speaking with The Saratogian Tuesday afternoon:

It’s going to be a very difficult two to three years. It was a 45-minute presentation, and Gov. Paterson asked us to read the budget in detail before we are critical, and I respect that.

It’s going to be very difficult. Revenue for both the state and country is down, and we’re dealing with a major loss of jobs.

I’m very concerned about cost shifting: By shifting the cost of, say educational programs, without reducing or eliminating mandates, you’re only shifting cost to taxpayers. The same is true with health care.

Shifting the cost is not cutting the budget, it’s just telling Saratoga County to charge for services. It’s a shell game, and this has been happening for several decades.

I can’t support an increase in the gas tax. That’s anti-upstate. It will only serve to increase the cost for school transit, and the cost of getting to work. To me, that’s very unfair.

If you divide New York into three categories, New York City, Long Island and upstate, we’re the most spread out and the smallest. I want to make sure that downstate has a similar pain sharing, and I have not seen that in a number of years.

We might have to talk about shared services, and we might have to look at new ways to provide services. When we cut we have to make sure we’re not hurting people. You can’t hurt people who need health care, it just can’t be done. From that standpoint, we have to be concerned about people who are less fortunate than us.

I’m very proud that Saratoga County and Saratoga Springs are strong communities and can weather the storm. Nevertheless, this is what we’re up against.

What I would like the Legislature to do is immediately schedule public hearings. The governor said he wants a budget by March 1, and I think we should do it by March 1. It might interrupt our vacations and holidays, but this is a priority, and we need to get it done. I think right now the public is tired of partisan politics, now is the time to schedule these meetings and get to work on a budget. There are a lot of factors that are within our control. It’s not unreasonable to look at services and do a better job.

I have to speak up on behalf of people in the greater Capital Region, some of the rural communities have no tax base. I have to speak out against the shell game, it’s not acceptable, we’re going to fight for revenues for those communities, but the budget is a substantial amount of money. There’s going to be a lot of review of this budget, and that’s why I want to start now.

Negativity is contagious. We will overcome these problems. This is a great country and a great state. We’re going to deal with this, we’ve been through worse. We should be counting our blessings this time of year that our communities are so strong. We in Saratoga County will weather this better than other communities. We need to recognize that other communities need our help.

We were the people who won World War II, we overcame the Great Depression, we will defeat this. We’ve got a new president coming in — I’m a Republican, and I’m looking forward to a new Democratic president!

We will overcome this, we have to do this, it’s important.