SENATE CANDIDATES JULIE ABBOTT & REBECCA SHIROFF: MAKE NEW YORK MORE AFFORDABLE NOW
One Party Rule in Albany Closes Session Without Providing Relief for Families and Businesses
SYRACUSE, NY – Senate Candidates Julie Abbott and Rebecca Shiroff, along with Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, today blasted One Party Rule in Albany for failing to take significant action to make New York more affordable and provide relief for families and businesses who are struggling with record-high inflation and costs of living.
“New York is more expensive than it has been at any point in recent memory. My opponent left Albany without creating real change, and our residents have noticed. It is time for Central New York to have a voice in the New York State Senate.” said Julie Abbott. “While you and I have had to cut costs to find savings in our daily lives, One Party Rule in Albany managed to increase the state budget, digging further into our pockets. Enough is enough.”
“I am and always will be a mother first,” commented Rebecca Shiroff. “When I look at the state New York is in lately, I worry that my kids will follow the hundreds of thousands of residents who leave our state each year. It’s never been more expensive to be a New Yorker, and Central New York is last on the Albany priority list. My first and only priority as State Senator is the people of our community. We deserve a representative who will put us first, not last.”
“Our greatest asset – our people – continue to flee the state because of sky-high taxes, burdensome regulations, and a poor economic climate. Yet tone-deaf One Party Rule politicians in Albany have offered no solution other than a bloated state budget that spends at unsustainable levels, and more of the same tax-and-spend policies that cause more financial burden for families and small businesses. As part of our ‘Take Back NY’ agenda, the Senate Republican conference offered solutions that would have significant impact to make New York more affordable, and I look forward to Julie Abbott and Rebecca Shiroff joining our conference and being a strong voice for these common sense solutions,” said Republican Leader Rob Ortt.
New York faces extreme long- and short-term economic challenges including: record high inflation, rising gas prices and home heating costs, highest-in-the-nation tax burden and overall declining consumer sentiment about economic conditions in the state.
The ‘End the Exodus’ plan put forth by Senate Republicans includes:
A full repeal of the state’s gas tax to provide more relief at the pump - the plan touted by Albany Democrats only provides New Yorkers half the relief.
Cutting New York’s Highest-In-The-Nation Taxes:
Reject the Senate Democrats’ radical plans to dramatically increase gas, home heating, and everyday-living costs - and temporarily FULLY SUSPEND the state gas tax;
Repeal unfunded mandates that drive up local property taxes;
Accelerate and expand the historic, Senate Republican-authored Middle-Class Tax Cut;
Enact a permanent, constitutional cap on runaway state spending; and
Require a 2/3 vote of the state legislature for any tax increase.
Reducing the Cost of Living:
Make childcare more affordable and available by examining costly regulations, expanding the Empire State Child Tax Credit and the dependent care credit, and increasing support for employer-provided early childhood education and care;
Allow localities the option to offer state sales tax holidays on essential goods and services;
Advocate for and protect the rights of property owners; and
Mitigate the impact of the global energy crisis by providing nearly $300 million in energy tax relief.
Improving the State Business Climate:
Cut red tape and burdensome regulations;
Reduce taxes on small businesses;
Reform the way economic development – for years plagued by corruption – is done in New York;
Reject Democrats’ radical plans to ban natural gas hookups in construction;
Slash small businesses skyrocketing unemployment insurance tax rates by using federal pandemic relief funds to replenish the depleted unemployment insurance fund; and
Cap unemployment taxes to protect businesses still struggling with pandemic recovery.
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