ONE YEAR AFTER GOP SENATE VICTORY UPHELD BY COURT OF APPEALS, REPUBLICANS HAVE NEW YORK MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
What a difference a year makes.
Last year, the State was facing a $10 billion budget deficit caused by massive overspending, New York was on the brink of bankruptcy and couldn’t afford to pay its bills. Homeowners were drowning in record high property taxes, and leaders of industry and government were unable to market New York as a place to launch or expand a business.
Some were even questioning if New York had a future at all.
Then, fed up with the horror they were witnessing in Albany, voters chose Republicans to lead the State Senate. And, on December 20, 2010, the Court of Appeals made it official by rejecting a last-ditch Democrat effort to overturn the result.
A year later, New York is turning the corner.
How’d we do it in such a short amount of time? By focusing on three basic priorities – - cutting spending, cutting taxes and helping the private sector create new jobs – - and partnering with a Democrat Governor to achieve real results.
Senate Republicans eliminated the entire $10 billion deficit without raising taxes. We imposed real fiscal restraint and scrutinized every purchase and every dollar that was spent – - just like you’re doing to meet your family’s budget.
We enacted a property tax cap that finally put the brakes on the record tax increases that were making it more difficult to make ends meet, and we approved millions of dollars in mandate relief to help local governments and schools better control their own costs.
And recently, we delivered a middle class tax cut for 4.4 million taxpayers that will usher in the lowest tax rates in 58 years, eliminated the MTA payroll tax for 80 percent of the businesses who pay, and cut the corporate franchise tax in half for manufacturers. By doing so, we’ve laid the foundation for the creation of thousands of good jobs so our children and grandchildren can find a job and have a future right here in New York.
How did we clear away the clouds of chaos and dysfunction after two disastrous years in Albany? By putting politics aside and working together to get things done – - unlike what we’re seeing now in Washington, D.C.
This year has been a true New York success story, and we’re quickly making this State a more attractive place to live and work. But, with much more to be done, the stakes are still very high.
Turning back the clock to the dark days of dysfunction, scandal and higher taxes – - as some Senate Democrats are arguing for – - would be a mistake that would reverse the progress we’ve made this year.
In the coming year, Senate Republicans will continue to focus on what’s important to businesses, taxpayers and their families, so we can keep moving in the right direction.
Together, we can make New York the place we all know it can be.
