Local Lawmakers React To Governor Cuomo’s State Of State Address

Several local lawmakers are reacting to Governor Cuomo's State of the State Address.

The following officials issued statements reacting to Como’s 2018 State of the State message delivered on Wednesday in Albany:

Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi:

“The Governor outlined an ambitious agenda today in broad strokes, admitting that the state faces a very difficult year ahead with a looming $4 billion budget deficit, and $2 billion in federal budget cuts.  I look forward to learning more about the Governor’s proposals to fix the state’s broken education funding system, lower the middle class tax rate, and go after the prescription drug distributors that turned a blind eye to the opioid crisis, among other things.  This will be a difficult budget year given the federal assault on New York State; however, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to tackle these challenges head-on and pass an on-time budget."

Assemblyman Brian Miller:

“There are certainly some positive thoughts to take away from the governor’s State of the State – ideas that can protect and benefit New Yorkers – but of course, all they are is thought. Year after year, we see grand promises come out of the executive office, but little follow through on policy that actually helps residents afford the cost of living and raising a family in New York. For the sake of our residents, I hope the governor addresses major concerns facing the state this year with as much zeal as he promoted his proposals this past month.”

Assemblyman Marc Butler:

“Today the governor outlined his priorities for the coming legislative session, and while I think a few may be beneficial to my constituents, the devil is always in the details. I am encouraged to see continued investment in downtown revitalization, but would like to see this investment spread more evenly among our upstate communities. Any cost-saving efforts he discussed are a burden on local governments, all while he proposed additional costly mandates through his other policy agenda points. Unfunded mandates placed on local government, small businesses, and ultimately, middle-class New York families, continue to be a concern for me and my constituents. I will look closely at the details to come forth from these proposals and fight vigorously on the behalf of the people I serve.”

Senator Joseph Griffo:

“As part of today’s State of the State Address, Governor Cuomo offered a variety of proposals and initiatives that will, no doubt, be the center of much consideration and debate in the coming weeks. I look forward to discussing the ideas, methods and matters.

While the Governor’s proposals aim to address many important issues across the state, we have an obligation to ensure that the state has the funds to dedicate to the projects that were proposed. With the state facing a multi-billion deficit, it is imperative that we remain mindful of how the state is spending taxpayer money.

We now await the State Budget and conducting a thorough and extensive review of its contents. During the upcoming budget process, we will closely examine all of the Governor’s proposals, offer our own counterproposals and will discuss how they could affect the state financially. When it comes to the budget process and implementing state policy, we, as a Legislature, must make sure that we have an active and strong voice so that we can effectively represent the people of New York State and ensure that
their voices are being heard.”