Smith Closing Remarks on State Budget

“Today the New York State Senate completed the passage of the Enacted Budget for Fiscal Year 2009-10 Budget, taking the first steps toward getting our economy back on track. After more than 30 hours of rigorous and thoughtful debate this week, we passed nine budget bills that finally reverses decades of fiscal irresponsibility.

The budget was far from perfect, and so was the process. But even more imperfect was the economic realities we inherited and a fiscal crisis in which no sector of the state was immune. Following years of spending at a rate the state could not afford, as well as an economic meltdown on Wall Street and in the housing market, the new Senate Majority passed a budget in less than 90 days that contains the lowest spending increase in decades.

Facing the most dire economic conditions since the Great Depression, we showed leadership and made tough decisions when tough decisions were necessary. There is no doubt that there is pain in this budget, but there are bright spots as well.

Instead of cutting funding to education, forcing the layoffs of thousands of teachers and larger class sizes, we were able to hold the line on education funding. As a result, every child from every region of the state will have access to the quality education they deserve.

In a historic shift of higher education policy, we voted to give SUNY and CUNY returns on tuition increases. Never before has that been done.

Instead of forcing hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies to endure the harshest of cuts at a time when more people than ever need affordable access to quality care, we restored more than $1.1 billion and instituted reforms that will move our state to towards a more cost-effective, primary and preventive care model of healthcare delivery.

We also adopted visionary programs that will create ‘green’ jobs across the state, help us rebuild our infrastructure from Buffalo to

Brookhaven. Using federal stimulus money to generate the jobs that will help take New York into a 21st Century economy, we created 86,000 new jobs that will put people back to work and get our economy moving forward once again. It’s time that people stop talking, and start doing—that’s what we’ve done.

The outdated, inefficient and costly Rockefeller Drug Laws were reformed, helping non-violent offenders overcome addiction and return as functioning, contributing members of society.

We also implemented fair share tax reform, the most progressive change to our tax code, in more than 30 years. As a result, the wealthiest 4 percent of New Yorkers have been asked to help us keep vital services up and running while 96 percent of taxpayers will be protected from tax increases. I have no doubt they will answer that call. Everyone understands, considering the challenges we face, that we are in this together- one New York

This budget was very painful in many respects, but I have no doubt that we will do better next year and that our economy will be in a better position because of the tough choices we had the courage to make. By far, it was the most difficult economic circumstances I’ve faced in my 9 years in the State Senate. However, all of us understand, considering the challenges we face, that we are in this together and we will get out of this together- one New York, the only way it should be.”