FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 11/19/09
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
Finch Offers Budget Solutions, Yet State
Mired in Political Gridlock
Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I - Springport) today joined his Assembly
Republican colleagues in calling for immediate action on the state's
budget crisis. Special
session, which was scheduled for 4 p.m. on Thursday was instead recessed
until next week. However,
Finch and his colleagues remained, calling on Speaker Silver to call his
conference back to Albany for session.
"This year's budget included nearly $8 billion in higher taxes and new
fees, and increased spending beyond the state's capacity.
That's why I voted against it," said Finch.
"Now we are facing a budget deficit and rather than implementing
the package that my colleagues and I in the Assembly Republican
conference have introduced, Democrats continue to waste taxpayers' time
and money."
Assemblyman Finch noted that soon after the
2009-10 budget was enacted, it was apparent that cuts would have to be
made to address the state's declining revenue.
That's why Assemblyman Finch urged his colleagues to work through
the summer to address the state's exorbitant spending policies.
"Almost two weeks we've been waiting for action,"
remarked Finch. "Yet we've
done nothing this whole time.
We have a huge budget crisis looming, but instead of working
together to dig us out of this hole, Senate Democrats have played
political games and left the state hanging in the balance."
In addition to accepting $2 billion in cuts
proposed by the governor, Assemblyman Finch has proposed $1.5 billion in
cuts to reduce the deficit without making mid year reductions to schools
and health care funding. In
total, Finch's plan would save $3.75 billion.
Some of the measures include:
-
Over $1.5 billion in Administrative Agency cuts
and consolidations,
-
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Almost $400 million in fund transfers,
-
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$205 million in local
payments,
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Streamlining Medicaid, along the lines of similar
states
and preventing Medicaid fraud, saving $150 million,
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Mike Avella Jr.
Press Coordinator
NYS Assembly Minority
(518) 455-5981
F (518) 455-5057
NEW YORKERS ARE FED UP
$ Driver
license renewal fees up almost 30%
$
Registration fees up
about 25%
$
$25 dollars to renew your license plate,
and
$
An extra $20 if you want to keep your same license plate number!
Join Assemblyman Gary Finch and Voice Your Concern!
The cost of owning and driving a car continues to
rise thanks to New York’s addictive spending habits!
We need to show Governor Paterson and Speaker Silver
that we won’t take it any more. If you’re as fed up as me, please email
me, or sign this petition, circulate to your friends and family and mail
back to my office. I’ll bring it straight to New York’s leaders
DOWNLOAD PETITION HERE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 11/12/09
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
FINCH: LICENSE PLATE 'MONEY-GRAB' MUST BE
ELIMINATED
Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I -
Springport) is urging his fellow legislators to cut increased license
plate fees when they reconvene in Albany on Monday.
Part of this year's transportation budget bill contained a new
$25 fee for new license plates for automobiles.
The increased fee was one of over a hundred new taxes and fees.
Legislators will return to Albany on Monday
with the hopes of addressing the budget deficit by coming together to
reach an agreement to reduce spending in order to prevent further
economic crisis, noted Finch.
"New York state government keeps piling new
taxes and fees on taxpayers and it's time that we take responsibility,
cut spending and stop passing the buck onto the people of our state,"
said Finch. "My Conference
has offered a comprehensive Deficit Reduction Plan that would both help
to close our massive budget deficit and allow the state to ease the tax
and fee burden New Yorkers are facing.
The new license plate fee is simply a money grab to allow
increased spending, and it must be eliminated immediately."
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Mike Avella Jr.
Press Coordinator
NYS Assembly Minority
(518) 455-5981
F (518) 455-5057
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 10/01/09
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
Legislative Column by Assemblyman Gary D. Finch
(R,C,I – Springport)
TROUBLING ECONOMIC TIMES,
JOB
LOSS IN
SOUTHERN
TIER
MUST BE ADDRESSED
Economic development and stimulation needed to spur local economies
Recently, the Department of Labor released
startling statistics stating that manufacturing jobs in Broome and Tioga
counties have reached historic lows for the region.
Since August of 2008, the two counties have
lost 1,800 jobs.
Excluding manufacturing and government
jobs, the region also has lost about 1,700 additional private-sector
jobs.
It is well-known that
New York
is facing difficult economic times.
In fact, the region’s unemployment rate has
jumped almost three percent in the last year alone.
This year’s budget created new fees and raised taxes on multiple facets
of everyday life, hurting families and driving small businesses toward
closure and out of the state.
We should be focused on creating jobs and
stimulating economic growth, instead of raising taxes in order to cover
the budget deficit.
More jobs and expanded business equals more money
in the pockets of those who live and work in our area.
Not only does economic investment help
brighten the future of a depressed region, but it also would satisfy
legislators and taxpayers concerned with a lack of state funds by
creating a greater flow of revenue for the state.
While it is easy to blame the recent economic
downfall for job losses, there is a broader problem at hand:
One in every three manufacturing jobs has
been eliminated in the past decade, and in the past twenty years, over
half of the region’s manufacturing jobs have been eliminated or left the
area.
More needs to be done to attract business to the
Southern Tier and to help small businesses thrive.
I don’t think many can argue with the fact
that raising taxes hurts business.
Instead, we must cut taxes and provide
local funding and incentives for manufacturing and small businesses.
Southern Tier residents are proud of the area’s heritage and rich
history as a mainstay of New York’s
manufacturing sector.
Ever since the arrival of railroad
attracted Corning Glass to
Steuben
County
in 1868, and farming and factory towns sprung up around the region, the
Southern Tier has been an integral part of
New York’s
economy, creating a variety of products including glass, televisions,
furniture, metal forgings and machine tools.
I have called upon Governor Paterson to convene special session so that
my colleagues and I can work out a way to prevent
New York’s
budget woes from spiraling out of control.
We also would have an opportunity to take
time to implement measures to stimulate our local economies.
We need open, public debate
on New York’s
ailing economy so that we can do what is right for New York.
From preserving our rich history to working
toward a brighter future, we must do all that we can to create jobs
across the Southern Tier and stimulate the economic growth necessary for
a better New York.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 9/24/09
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
Statement by Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C,I – Springport)
FINCH: IMMEDIATE SPECIAL SESSION NEEDED TO SETTLE BUDGET MESS
“New York’s
policy making has long been dominated by backroom dealings, and now we
are facing an economic mess greater than many can remember.
Recent reports state that our budget
deficit may have grown to as much as $3 billion, and yet the governor
has not called special session for September as previously promised.
Instead, the governor says he won’t call
session until a deal is agreed upon.
So instead of allowing us legislators to
publicly work out the mess that our state is in, the governor wishes to
take the power out of our hands and allow three men in a room to make
all of the decisions.
If legislators are
not immediately called back to Albany
for special session, the budget gap will continue to grow, allowing the
economic bleeding to continue.
We need to come together, with the best
interests of New Yorkers in mind and work out this problem in an open,
public debate.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TODAY: 9/23/09
Contact: Suzanne Redmond (315) 255-3045
FINCH: PUBLIC FUNDING FOR ACORN MUST CEASE IMMEDIATELY
Assemblyman Finch proposes legislation to stop public funding for
organization
In response to recent allegations of
illegal dealings and unethical employee actions, Assemblyman Gary D.
Finch (R,C,I – Springport) is introducing legislation that will strip
public funding for ACORN.
Similar legislation recently passed the
U.S. Congress, banning federal funds for ACORN.
“From housing fraud to voter fraud, and now
unethical advice on tax evasion and underage, foreign sex trafficking,
ACORN has shown itself to be unworthy of the public’s trust.
Consequently, they should be stripped of
all public funding,” said Finch.
“They have received abundant public funding
and have turned around and used that funding to not only defraud the
people of our state but to make heinous recommendations, such as ways to
profit from underage sex trafficking.
This is not a partisan issue.
I am hopeful that my colleagues in the
Assembly agree and will pass my legislation to strip public funding for
ACORN.”
ACORN’s alleged past indiscretions include
widespread voter fraud and housing fraud.
In addition, recent
videos have surfaced showing two employees in ACORN’s
Baltimore
office offering unethical advice to two undercover journalists regarding
home loans, tax evasion and disguising the identities of underage sex
workers trafficked from
El Salvador.
“ACORN officials have
admitted to impropriety by their employees,” stated Finch.
“That is why my colleagues and I are
introducing legislation to strip ACORN of their public funding and are
urging Attorney General Cuomo and state officials to launch a thorough
investigation.
ACORN must be held responsible for their
actions.
Congress has deemed
ACORN’s actions to be outrageous enough to take away their federal
funding, and now New York
must hold them to the same high standards. ”
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