Special Session Unlikely to Benefit Taxpayers

Tomorrow's special session, called by Governor Paterson last week, is supposed to address some major budgetary issues facing New York State.  Namely, a potential Medicaid contingency fund should the state require the over $1 billion to fund our Medicaid obligations, SUNY tuition policy, and a property tax cap.  All three constitute politically sensitive matters, which means that it is entirely possible that a vote may be avoided in order to protect incumbents in an election year and that the legislature will have travelled to Albany for nothing.  I am concerned that we may have a repeat of the previous November's Deficit Reduction Plan that cost taxpayers money and ended with a disappointing result.
 
This is most concerning as the issues at hand effect the most vulnerable members of our state.  Our children, the future, will be seriously effected by the future of SUNY tuition, the elderly and most needy utilize our premier Medicaid system, and families across the state are impacted each and every day by the crushing burden of property taxes. 

My colleagues and I in the Minority have laid out specific positions on all three policy issues; proposing a cap on property taxes, significant and appropriate cuts to our costly Medicaid system, and a SUNY tuition policy that is fair to both students and families and viable for the institutions that generate millions of dollars throughout the state.

I urge the Speaker to take this opportunity to address the major Budgetary, Higher Education, and Tax issues at hand by considering the proposals put forth by the elected members of the Assembly who happen to be a member of the minority party. Now is not the time for partisan politics.  It is time to work together and find solutions that work for the betterment of all New Yorkers.