Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) today joined members of his Assembly Minority Conference in placing a budget countdown clock outside the Assembly Chamber to remind lawmakers of the looming April 1 budget deadline. Hawley has called for open negotiations to continue between legislative leaders and Governor Eliot Spitzer to ensure passage of an on-time budget.

“After two consecutive on-time budgets, we are walking on very thin ice right now as the deadline looms,” said Hawley. “We have heard the governor say it is better to have a late budget that is good, than a bad budget that is on time. In business negotiations, the art of compromise is of paramount importance. I am hopeful the governor, Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno understand that because one person’s view is not always the same for another. I trust the governor not to take the approach of ‘my way, or the highway’ in negotiating this budget.

“Without question, a late budget is a bad budget. Every time it is late, school districts, municipalities, and taxpayers are negatively affected. Passing an on-time budget is our job as legislators. In the same way that people in every walk of life must adhere to deadlines, we have the same obligation when it comes to delivering an on-time budget that controls spending and lowers the tax burden. I am calling on legislative leaders to get to the negotiating table and stop playing partisan politics with the people’s hard-earned tax money,” Hawley added.