Hello, I’m Senator Joe Bruno, Majority Leader of the New York State
Senate.
I want to congratulate Governor Spitzer on his first State of
the State address.
This is the beginning of a new year and a new administration,
and it brings a great deal of excitement about what we can accomplish
together.
The Senate has worked closely with our new governor in his role as
Attorney General on tougher crime laws to make our communities more safe -
and we are going to build on our relationship to do even more to insure
public safety and personal security.
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 are united in our efforts to make this
state more affordable, more livable and more sensible.
As we begin 2007, we face major challenges - the concerns
families talk about at their kitchen tables are the challenges we must
address in the halls of the State Capitol.
New Yorkers are no longer confident that the State we leave for
our children will hold as much promise and opportunity as it did for us.
New Yorkers want leadership that will head New York in the right
direction and put us back on solid ground.
Senate Republicans are up for the challenge, and in cooperation
with the Governor, we will be leading the effort to restore opportunity,
enhance security and improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers – from
Suffolk county to Buffalo.
Our job in the Senate is to deliver real results and provide
people with a new hope that the New York of tomorrow will be better than
the New York of today.
We will not be guided by politics or partisanship.
We will be guided by a clear vision for what we know is
important to the people of this State and a plan of action to achieve that
vision.
The Senate will fight to provide relief from high taxes and we
will oppose tax increases.
We will invest in education and give schools and teachers the
resources they need to provide a first-class education for our children.
We will make new investments to create new jobs.
We will protect people’s access to quality health care.
And the Senate will work for reforms to make government more
open and accountable.
First and foremost, the hardworking taxpayers of New York have a
right to expect that we will protect them from tax hikes and will provide
them with tax relief.
The people of this state shouldn’t have to worry about being able to
make ends meet, about being able to pay the mortgage, feed their family,
and keep their checkbook balanced -- simply because their taxes are too
high.
The Senate has renewed it's commitment to oppose any increases
in taxes and fees just as we did last year.
We applaud the Governor’s promise to the hardworking people of
New York to not raise taxes.
But not raising taxes is not enough -- The Senate wants to go further
by providing greater tax relief.
Last year the Senate initiated a rebate program that provided
almost a billion dollars in relief to property taxpayers - some of whom pay
the highest property taxes in the entire country.
The rebate program was very successful - but this year we need to do
even more.
The Senate has proposed expanding the property tax rebate
program to triple the size of the checks and provide $2.6 billion in
property tax relief this year.
It’s time to give homeowners the break they deserve.
Tax relief is good for people and good for the economy.
It allows people to keep more of their hard-earned money so that they
can spend it on their families needs.
And at the same time, it helps us create the jobs necessary to
revitalize our economy.
Second -- parents and their children have a right to expect
that we will not only protect the quality of education in our State - but
invest money to make it even better.
The Senate has always fought for greater investments in education.
A quality education provides hope and opportunity – and
something more. If our kids are fully prepared, they will go onto college
and hopefully establish careers right here in New York.
We will continue to provide the resources necessary so children all
over the State can get the best education possible, with the guidance of
talented teachers, the input of devoted parents and the assurance of
accountability to taxpayers.
This year, the Senate will continue our efforts to make New
York more economically competitive and create new jobs to replace those
that have been lost over the past decade.
We’re proud of the new high tech and biotech businesses growing in
Buffalo, Rochester, Long Island and the Capital Region.
However, Upstate New York is still lagging behind New York City
and downstate when it comes to job creation – and that is unacceptable.
If any part of New York is suffering, that hurts the entire State.
Our mission is to ensure that everyone enjoys the benefits of
economic opportunity.
In 2007, the Senate will make new investments in economic
development a priority so we can attract new businesses and create new
jobs, especially in Upstate New York.
By doing so, we will ensure that young people stay here and
have long-term careers that will fulfill them on a personal level and
provide a good living for their families.
But as important as new, cutting edge businesses are to our
economy and the jobs they create, we must also work to make it easier for
small businesses to do business.
The healthier our small businesses, the healthier our economy –
and the brighter our future.
People also have a right to expect that we will protect them
and their loved ones – in times of crisis and in times of need.
That means ensuring affordable access to quality health care.
It means keeping our promise to seniors that we will help them
afford prescriptions.
It means keeping our commitment to health care for families and it
means eliminating waste and fraud in the State that drives up costs and
takes resources away from the needy.
One of our Senate achievements last year that I want to build
on is the historic crackdown on Medicaid fraud by creating an independent
Medicaid Inspector General to target those who abuse and cheat the system.
Finally, there will be accountability in the system – and everyone
will benefit when our precious health care dollars are spent accurately,
effectively and efficiently.
People have a right to expect tax relief, a good education for
their children, health care for their loved ones and fulfilling and secure
jobs.
They also have a right to expect their government to be open and
accountable.
The Senate has built a record of reform that increased openness
and accountability and achieved two on time State budgets.
With the cooperation of the Governor, we plan to make on-time budgets
the rule, not the exception.
Just last week, we introduced an historic budget reform plan that
would bring openness and accountability in State spending to a new level by
lining out in the State budget every dollar to be spent by the Governor,
Legislature, Judiciary and all State agencies and authorities.
The Senate plan would provide complete openness, sunshine,
transparency and accountability in state government spending.
These goals will not accomplish themselves.
They are pressing issues that we need to address, as a state,
now.
If we do, I believe we can set ourselves on the right track – a
track that will lead us to a future of more promise, more prosperity, and
more opportunity.
Our vision is shared by so many New Yorkers – it is a vision of
a better future for our children.
And we will work hard -- and work together with Governor
Spitzer, Speaker Silver – as Democrats, as Republicans, as Independents –
to meet these challenges and we will succeed.
By achieving these goals for tax relief, education, job creation,
health care and reform, we will make government more accountable to the
people, we will make New York a better place to live and work, and
generations of New Yorkers will decide to stay here to raise their families
and enjoy the fruits of the American Dream with their children and
grandchildren.
Thank you.