“This past year, I was proud to open my office doors to meet with families and business owners across Saratoga and Washington counties. Listening to their concerns and the issues that affect our communities helped shape my legislative agenda, and it’s clear that we have to keep building on the progress we’ve made. The Governor is correct that the development of the upstate economy, focus on the tourism and agriculture industries, steps to protect the environment and preserve farmland, and passage of the women’s equality laws are great achievements that I am honored to have been a part of.

“Moving forward, we must continue working to lower the tax burden on middle-class families, strengthen our state’s economic climate for small businesses and farmers, make significant investments to improve our roads, bridges, and water infrastructure, expand high-speed broadband access to our rural regions, and restore the public’s faith in our government with comprehensive ethics reform.

“The governor’s commitment to these issues is promising, and I’m particularly encouraged that he has included a proposal that I have been championing to completely eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment. This will allow us to save taxpayer dollars and properly fund our schools so that our students can succeed in the classroom and compete in the global economy.

“With the budget season now upon us, I am eager to carefully review the details of the governor’s proposal, specifically the tax cuts for small businesses, the public transportation and NY Built to Lead infrastructure programs, the I Heart New York Tourism program budget increase, the $250 million fund for rebuilding of local water infrastructure and the expansion of the youth jobs voucher program. In the coming weeks, I look forward to coming together with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure the final budget reflects the needs of Saratoga and Washington county residents.”

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