“There were encouraging parts of this year’s Executive Budget proposal including increased education funding, an additional $30 million to combat the heroin epidemic that plagues our communities, term limits for state legislators and investment in our state parks. However, I am concerned with the governor’s plan to mandate that local towns must consolidate services without financial assistance from the state, freeze the amount of STAR savings for seniors and provide tax credits for Hollywood filmmakers, while neglecting to increase tax cuts for hardworking, middle-class residents. These are serious issues that we need to hash out during the coming budget negotiations, and my Assembly Minority colleagues and I will be fighting to improve the quality of life for our residents here at home and statewide.”