Assembly Republicans have unveiled a comprehensive agenda for revitalizing New York that includes tax relief, mandate reform, debt reform, and improvements to the state's budget process.
Assembly Republican Leader Charles H. Nesbitt (R,C-Albion) and others in the Assembly minority unveiled NY First: An Assembly Republican Action Plan for New York's Future at a Jan. 7 press conference.
"This plan is our prescription for a better future for all New Yorkers," Assemblyman Nesbitt said. "'NY First' is designed to help the state grow by creating new jobs and new opportunity, improving public safety and the quality of life of every citizen."
The proposal includes the following provisions:
- New
York's enacted tax cuts would be preserved. "Abandoning
currently planned tax cuts would be a mistake and an unnecessary
burden on taxpayers," the Assembly Republicans' release
said.
- State
tax credits would offer manufacturers new incentives to
expand and locate companies here.
- A
"supermajority" vote of two-thirds or more would be required
in both the Senate and Assembly to enact any new tax or
impose any unfunded mandate on local governments.
- The
state would take over all local Medicaid costs within five
years, and savings would be returned to local taxpayers.
(The Business Council has made the same proposal part of
its 2003 legislative agenda.) In addition, new unfunded
mandates in the Medicaid program would be prohibited.
- "Back-door
borrowing" through state authorities, the source of much
of the state's debt, would be prohibited for day-to-day
government operations. In addition, "truth in borrowing"
legislation would require public disclosure of proposed
borrowing, terms of the loan, and the cost of repayment
for any state borrowing.
- Several
steps would be taken to accelerate annual negotiations over
the state budget. If lawmakers failed to agree on a state
budget within 72 hours of the state's April 1 deadline,
the previous year's budget would automatically take effect.
The state Comptroller would establish a binding revenue
forecast if no budget agreement by March 10. Permanent budget
conference committees would meet each year by March 15.
And no action on non-budget bills would be permitted if
a state budget were not enacted on time.
- At least one Empire Zone would be created in each county that currently does not have one, and new agricultural Empire Zones would be created to extend the benefits of the programs to New York's farmers.