Some members of the Westchester delegation to the New York State Legislature tried to quell concerns from the business community about taxes, government reform, and a bloated state budget during a gathering this month.
The questions and concerns were aired at the Westchester County Association”™s annual legislative breakfast at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown.
WCA Chairman Al DelBello said the business group polled its members at the beginning of 2007 on whether they thought the climate in Albany was conducive to reform and 100 percent said that it was. The same question was posed at the beginning of this year and only 58 percent of those who responded believed reform can be accomplished in the state capital, DelBello said. The breakfast took place prior to news of Gov. Eliot Spitzer”™s alleged ties to a prostitution ring, which could further muddy the reform picture.
Regarding reform, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, D-Greenburgh, said “what was once a very hopeful atmosphere is now not so hopeful.”
Brodsky did say that the Legislature has been looking at reforming several agencies in the state, including industrial development agencies.
On the budget, Brodsky claimed that the state is $1 billion short of covering the governor”™s proposed spending plan.
“The national recession is hurting our revenues,” said Brodsky.
He further assailed the governor”™s proposed budget, saying it raised taxes on middle-income state residents.
He said the legislature is exploring the idea of raising the marginal rate tax on those whose income exceeds $1 million as an alternative way to raise revenues.
State Sen. Jeff Klein said the government must help to “stem the tide of foreclosures” which is hurting the local and national economy.
Klein said one way of doing this is by fostering communication between homeowners who are behind in mortgage payments and their creditors.
“Fifty-two percent of those who were foreclosed upon had no contact with their lending institution,” he said.
Several questions were posed to the legislators about making New York more conducive to business growth.
Assemblyman Greg Ball, R-Carmel, said the state “has been an absolutely bad environment for business.”
Ball said the business community has to be more vigilant in demanding reform from its government.
“Use your power; put political pressure on us,” he said.
Ball said the no. 1 issue facing the region is school tax reform. He said the state should reconsider the way public schools are funded in the state.
Others agreed, with Klein saying the state should look at funding public schools via income or sales tax, rather than property tax.
The assembled legislators were asked why New York”™s budget continues to get bigger, pointing to states such as New Jersey and California, and New York City, which have cut spending.
Brodsky said the city of New York can more easily cut spending since it funds only itself, and that the state has to fund other budgets besides its own.
“The bulk of our budget gets passed down to other budgets,” he said.
