“The completely exclusive and secretive budget process produced mixed results for our Hudson Valley community. I am outraged that negotiations were shrouded in secrecy, the bills were released to the public mere hours before voting, and virtually all debate was done under cover of darkness. No ethics reform in the budget and the nature of the closed-door process proves Albany isn’t prepared to police itself.

“On the bright side, I am thrilled that the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) education cuts will be fully restored over the next fiscal year. I sponsored multiple bills to end these unfair cuts and return the funding to our schools. Furthermore, we have secured:

• $1 billion in middle-class tax cuts;
• $25 million in new funding for heroin and opioid addiction rehabilitation services;
• Farm workforce tax credits;
• Increased funding for library aid and SUNY and CUNY assistance; and
• Additional funding to aid local governments with public protection and safety measures.

“Despite gains for education and the middle class, we need to provide more tax relief for the middle class, tax and regulatory relief for our struggling small businesses, and a more open and inclusive budget process. I voted against several measures that would harm our community, such as:

• Increased funding for the SAFE Act;
• Additional funding for disastrous Common Core testing; and
• A job-killing minimum wage increase.”