Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) is a sponsor of Assembly Bill 5127, which would require a fiscal impact statement on bills. The measure was voted down by the Assembly Majority on the floor today.

“Right now, the fiscal impact statement on bills is for show,” Friend said. “The Majority doesn’t want to know what their projects are costing our taxpayers, and they surely don’t want the taxpayers to know either. This bill would eliminate any plausible deniability they have for how much their bills contribute to the flight of citizens from our state. The people of New York deserve to know how much these bills cost. This is a good government measure that was voted down today, and it’s a shame that it failed.”

Friend is the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Committee on Local Governments.