State Senator Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) today said Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed an unprecedented state budget for its heavy reliance on federal aid to balance the state\u2019s financial books. Cuomo is seeking $15 billion in state and local aid from the federal government to close a huge budget gap in the upcoming fiscal year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe governor says he has a lot of friends in Washington, DC so when it comes to the funding I say \u2018go get it\u2019,\u201d said Stec. \u201cAccording to the governor, New York State is the number one donor state, putting in more and getting back less from the federal government year after year. He said this has persisted going back to the days of Senator Patrick Moynihan who retired from the US Senate 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe governor has had ten years to address what he calls \u2018a chronic injustice\u2019 but he hasn\u2019t. The time is now and he needs to get the job done,\u201d said Stec.<\/p>\n
Stec said the governor\u2019s approach of waiting for federal assistance will create an enormous challenge for lawmakers as well as advocates, including schools, hospitals and not-for-profits, trying to figure out what will and won\u2019t be possible to fund.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn an executive budget presentation day, we might typically say \u2018the devil is in the details\u2019 but, based on what we heard today I am thinking this is a budget based on a \u2018hope and a prayer\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom my perspective, job one is restarting the economy. I have been and will continue to talk with our chambers of commerce and local businesses to see what the State of New York should be doing to help them in the months ahead,\u201d said Stec.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
State Senator Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) today said Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed an unprecedented state budget for its heavy reliance on federal aid to balance the state\u2019s financial books. Cuomo is seeking $15 billion in state and local aid from the federal government to close a huge budget gap in the upcoming fiscal year. \u201cThe … <\/p>\n