Conservatives Call on Albany's Elected Officials to Cut Inflated Spending; Roll Back Taxes and Adopt Real Reform Measures

Albany, NY – (02/12/2007; 1200) At the New York State Conservative Party’s 40th annual Political Action
Conference, State Chairman Michael R. Long called for Albany's elected officials to cut inflated
spending, to roll back taxes and adopt real reform measures.

Mr. Long’s comments follow:

“New Yorker’s are exasperated with being known as the Empire State of Taxes. This year's proposed budget is a direct assault on taxpayers who voted for change on day one…if this budget is adopted as is, the
only change New Yorkers will have is a new address in a less taxed state. It is time to turn off the
spigot of money, unnecessary spending must stop before the spigot is truly bone dry with no one left to
pay anything.

The legislature must listen to the voice of the voters and adopt a budget within the means of those who
pay it.

We call on the Governor and Members to foster the growth of private business by adopting the following:

• holding state spending growth at or below the inflation rate;

• reduce the corporate income tax on all businesses;

• end unfunded mandates;

• reduce real property taxes;

• reduce the cost of Medicaid;

• cap the growth of all future state spending.

Our government must learn a basic concept: the way to expand and grow is to let people spend their own money on the things that they need or want. Government must find ways to cut spending to reduce the need for increased taxes; it is the only way New York will prosper.

We are here to tell legislators that, Spending is the Problem. New Yorkers elected a Governor believing his campaign promise that he would not increase taxes, yet his proposed budget has a growth rate of 7.8% while inflation is at 2.6%. Spending continues at an unsustainable rate. It is time our elected officials deal with the real problems of today. Instead of spending money that is not theirs to spend, they should be protecting our citizens by keeping sexually violent predators in prison, creating a new tier for public employees, adopt initiative, referendum and recall, protect unborn victims of violence and marriage as well as enacting term limits for all elected officials.

In concluding, Mr. Long stated: “The Conservative Party is still "fighting the good fight" and will
continue to do so until we change politics as usual in New York. Our legislative program offers a clear, concise, common sense, approach to government and outlines what must be done to bring New York back to its Empire State status and not the Empire State of taxes."

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