LaValle opposes Democrats’ sweep of dedicated funds (press release)

Press Release

SENATOR LAVALLE OPPOSES DEMOCRATS’ SWEEP OF DEDICATED FUNDS

Senator   Kenneth   P.  LaValle  expressed  outrage  at  yet  anothershortsighted  and  fiscally irresponsible  effort by the Democrats to fueladditional  General  Fund  spending.   While Senate Republicans unanimouslyopposed  the  sweep of hundreds of millions of dollars from dedicated stateaccounts,  every Senate Democrat gave an emphatic thumbs-up to continuing atwo-year,  one-party  budget approach that has routinely used higher taxes,raids, and other fiscal gimmicks to pay for their runaway spending.

According  to  Senator LaValle, the bill the Democrats approved wouldsweep  up  to $44.4 million from the Workers’ Compensation Special Fund forDisability  Benefits.  This could lead to rate hikes for businesses alreadyreeling  from  $3.6  billion  in new taxes approved by the Democrats in the2009-10  state budget.  The enactment of this measure would also permit themaximum  allowable  sweep  from  the Mental Hygiene Program Fund to grow bymore  than  $250 million.  In addition, the annual sweep from the StatewidePublic   Safety   Communication  Account,  which  is  funded  by  telephonesurcharges  and intended for public safety efforts, would increase from $20million to $70 million.

“The Senate Democrats’ actions demonstrate that they have not learnedany  lessons  from last year’s disastrous state budget that raised taxes by$8.5  billion  and  spending by $12 billion.  The bill they recently passedwas not required to fund government operations in the absence of an on-timebudget,  however,  it  will  allow them to continue to spend,” said SenatorLaValle.

“The   Senate   Republicans  drafted  a  budget  that  proposed  manyalternatives  to  reduce  state  spending, including agency consolidations,Medicaid  reform  and  tougher  measures to fight fraud, welfare reform andother  ways to increase accountability to lessen state spending,” continuedSenator LaValle.

“Difficult   choices   must   be  made.   The  longer  the  Democratsprocrastinate,  the  worse  it  will  be  for  the  taxpayers  and businesscommunities of New York State,” concluded Senator LaValle.

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