Long to Senators: Stand with Taxpayers

Ft. Hamilton Station, NY – Conservative Party State Chairman, Michael R. Long, urged the Majority Senators to stand with the beleaguered taxpayers and scrutinize the increased spending in this year’s budget.  Long, in a letter sent to the Majority Senators yesterday, urged the Members to reconsider the additions that they have proposed to the health care and education portion of the budget.  The text of the letter follows:

Budget negotiations are being discussed in the same manner that they have for as long as anyone can remember.  The leaders hammer out their differences and you are presented with a package…no real discussion…no real understanding…just “here is the agreement” now vote on it.

This year you can make a real difference.

Editorial boards across the state have written that this budget is bloated.  The newly elected Governor proposed a budget three times the rate of inflation, clearly spending far too much.

And the Senate’s budget adds even more spending to the areas that are already the largest portion of the budget:  health care and education.  Clearly, you need to scrutinize spending in these areas and you must slow the rate of growth. 

The Conservative Party urges you to stand with the taxpayers of New York, the very same people who place their trust in you that you will look do what is right for them and reject what the two most powerful special interest in the state are demanding in their daily barrage of advertisements.

As every New York family knows, you cannot spend what you do not have.  The credit card is maxed out and banks are no longer offering low interest home equity loans.  Interest rates are climbing, the cost of living is increasing and taxpayers need relief.  Smoke and mirrors no longer work.  While the STAR program started as a positive measure, certainly, with no restraints imposed on spending, even the STAR program ultimately hurts the beleaguered taxpayer.

There is only one solution:  Spending must be cut.

Hospitals that are not producing must close.  Schools that are not producing must close and the number of Charter Schools must be increased throughout the state.  Taxpayers should be allowed to claim a tax deduction for the money spent on private schools.  The small amount parents would be able to claim, while not enough to make a real difference certainly helps the family. 

The Conservative Party urges you to stand with those who pay the bills you and your colleagues present to us.  You and your colleagues have the ability to slow the rate of spending and your oath of office gave you the moral obligation to do so. 

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