Hello, I’m Senator Andrew Lanza from Staten Island, and I am representing the Senate Majority Conference in giving our response to the Governor’s State of the State message.
We’ve just heard Governor Spitzer deliver his second State of the State address before a joint session of the Legislature.
Last year, in his response, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno said that when it comes to doing the right thing for the people of the state, we are not Republicans or Democrats, we are New Yorkers and we must put politics aside and be united in our efforts to make this state more affordable, more livable and more sensible.
Last year, it seemed that -- far too often -- this administration put politics first and foremost and that is not how we should govern, and it’s not how we can best get results to improve the quality of life in New York State.
For many years, the Senate Majority has fought for the priorities that are most important to the people of New York -- tax relief, job creation, investing in a quality education for our children and ensuring better access to health care.
In 2008, the Senate will continue to focus on these priorities and stand with New Yorkers as a check and balance against any attempt to raise taxes, shortchange school districts or threaten access to health care.
Providing homeowners with more relief from skyrocketing property taxes is the most important thing we can do.
In my district on Staten Island and throughout the State, families are concerned that they cannot make ends meet and provide for their children because their property taxes are too high.
Two years ago, the Senate started a program to give homeowners property tax rebate checks to help them pay their taxes. New Yorkers are paying the highest property taxes in the country and they deserve more relief.
Last year, Governor Spitzer proposed eliminating property tax rebates, but the Senate fought to restore them -- and actually increase the value for most families.
Governor Spitzer also refused to extend this additional property tax relief to senior citizens -- and that was the wrong thing to do.
This year the Senate is proposing to significantly increase property tax relief for every New York homeowner.
We have proposed a comprehensive property tax relief plan that would double the size of the current STAR rebate for most homeowners and triple the size of the STAR rebate for seniors.
The Senate plan eliminates the complicated income brackets and eligibility limits put in place last year. No longer will this administration get to choose which families get property tax relief and which families don’t.
Under the Senate plan, most families would see annual property tax rebate checks of up to $1,000 or more.
Another Senate Majority plan would eliminate property taxes altogether as the means of funding our public schools, and replace them with a system of fair, State funding that will ensure a quality education for all our students.
People work hard to pay their property taxes and we need to work hard to provide them with greater property tax relief. No one has done more to protect property taxpayers and provide them with real tax relief than the Senate Majority because there is simply no more important issue facing New Yorkers.
The Governor and Assembly must join us in doing everything we can to get this done so seniors can afford to stay in their homes and people can afford to provide for their families.
In order to help them create new jobs for New Yorkers, businesses also need relief from new taxes.
Last year, Governor Spitzer pledged to hold the line on new taxes, then included hundreds of millions of dollars in higher taxes on New York businesses as part of his state budget plan. The Senate stopped them and we will fight any new job-killing taxes again in 2008.
We need to reduce business taxes and increase investments in businesses to help create jobs -- especially where they are needed most.
That’s why the Senate has proposed Upstate Now -- a plan that will transform and revitalize the economy from Buffalo to Binghamton, Rochester, Utica, the North Country, Hudson Valley and every community in between. We must do everything we can to ensure that the Upstate economy experiences the same kind of prosperity we’ve seen in New York City.
Upstate Now includes business tax cuts and incentives, and capital investments to create jobs. It would help large and small businesses in virtually every sector of the economy from high tech to agriculture by helping businesses afford such things as energy costs and health insurance for employees.
Simply put, year after year, no one has done more to relieve the tax burden on business than the Senate Majority.
We need to strengthen our economy and create new jobs to ensure that our children have the opportunity to pursue the career of their choice right here in New York State.
That mission starts with making sure that children get the best possible education -- which is why the Senate has fought for increased State funds to be invested in classrooms, but we have also worked to ensure a fair distribution of school aid.
Last year, the Governor’s budget would have shortchanged many school districts and caused even higher property taxes for people already paying the highest taxes in the nation.
However, the Senate fought to ensure a fair distribution of school aid to ensure that no school district -- and no child -- would be shortchanged.
In addition to strong schools, New York families also depend on having access to quality, affordable health care. That access was threatened last year by a budget plan that would have forced dozens of local hospitals and nursing homes to close. It was only the efforts of the Senate Majority that prevented this from happening.
One year ago, New Yorkers said they were expecting change. But they didn’t expect the kind of change they got. Governor Spitzer proposed increasing business taxes and eliminating property tax rebates; he opposed more tax relief for seniors; he pushed to close health care facilities; and he fought to release more violent felons back into our communities.
But in the most dramatic change of all -- Governor Spitzer fought a battle to give drivers licenses to illegal aliens -- a plan that could have seriously jeopardized the safety of all New Yorkers -- a plan he wanted to force on the people even though the vast majority strongly opposed it.
The Senate Majority stood with the people -- we lead the fight against the Governor’s plan and we stopped it. If not for the efforts of the Republicans in the Senate Majority, Governor Spitzer’s drivers license plan would have simply been rubber stamped and put into law against the wishes of the people.
By opposing plans that are not in the best interests of the people, the Senate Majority has served a vitally important role as a check and balance to the Governor and the Assembly.
The Senate has always understood what is important to you -- we share your values and have consistently fought for your priorities. We share your desire for a government that is open and accountable, puts politics aside and works together to deliver real results that matter to you.
For decades, the Senate Republican Majority has fought for relief for taxpayers; strong schools for our children; helped businesses create jobs; and improved access to health care -- and we will stand as a check and balance to anyone that jeopardizes these priorities.
To achieve these priorities and make the New York of tomorrow stronger than the New York of today, we must govern together.
The Senate has always focused on governing and getting results -- and from his speech today it sounds like Governor Spitzer may be ready to put politics and partisanship aside -- but actions speak louder than words.
I hope he is sincere, and that we will be able to work together and address the priorities that really matter to people.
If we do, we can set ourselves on the right track that will lead us to a future of more promise, more prosperity, and more opportunity for us and for our children.
Thank you.