Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) expressed his dissatisfaction with the bulk of the 2013-14 state budget, stating that many aspects miss the mark on critical issues. Hawley decried the decision to sweep $1.75 billion from the State Insurance Fund back into unrelated spending rather than refunding employers who overpaid for Workers’ Compensation premiums. The assemblyman also opposed irresponsible measures like funding for the SAFE Act, devastating cuts to programs for people with developmental disabilities, and the extension of the energy tax.

“While there were some bright spots, the bulk of this budget falls short on many critical issues,” said Hawley. “Our families are hurting and our businesses are so overtaxed that they cannot create the jobs New Yorkers need; yet, rather than delivering cost relief, this budget repeats the same tax-and-spend mistakes of old. Not only does this plan rely on ill-conceived revenue streams like the energy tax to fund unnecessary programs like the SAFE Act, but it fails to support programs for the developmentally disabled, which is an affront to these individuals and their families who need and deserve our help. All of this lands on top of a disastrous tax increase of at least $9.4 billion over the next five years. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, this budget flies in the face of the success we’ve seen over the last two years, and that’s why I opposed the majority of this plan.”

Hawley took particular exception to the extension of the 18-a utility tax, a surcharge passed in 2009 that was scheduled to sunset in 2014. The assemblyman advanced a budget amendment to repeal the fee and also sponsored Assembly bill 382, which would have rescinded the tax as soon as it was enacted. The newly-adopted budget extended the fee, which will cost families and businesses $1.7 billion over the length of the four-year extension.

“The amendment I advanced to repeal this tax would offer immediate relief for our families and businesses from burdensome electricity charges,” said Hawley. “This tax hurts all New Yorkers from upstate to downstate, families to businesses, low-income earners to high earners and everyone in between. If we really want to deliver the promise of a ‘New New York,’ we cannot continue this taxation without realistic, reasonable and responsive representation.”