Press release:
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) today sponsored Assembly Bill 1202, a budget amendment to repeal a crippling utility tax on local homeowners and businesses.
Other amendments brought to the Assembly Floor for a vote by the Minority Conference included a repeal of unfunded mandates and ban on future levies and a state spending cap to end the irresponsible use of tax dollars.
Hawley supported these measures as part of his ongoing fight to deliver real, tangible savings for taxpayers in Western New York.
“I sponsored and advanced the budget amendment to reduce utility taxes on homeowners and businesses because Western New Yorkers can no longer afford to foot the bill for state government’s irresponsible spending habits,” said Hawley.
“Utility taxes hurt our most vulnerable citizens, like seniors on fixed incomes, who need to heat their homes during the cold winter months. Coupled with the state spending cap and unfunded mandate relief that I voted in favor of today, the taxpayers of Western New York have made their voices heard loud and clear.”
What "unfunded mandates" are
What "unfunded mandates" are being proposed for cuts and do they cover this decrease in taxes? What specific things are concidered irresponsible? Are these real cuts or just decreases in future years?
I like that someone gave you
I like that someone gave you a negative remark for that, Charlie! How dare you ask that question!
Let me make this simple. I hate taxes, but if we take more revenues away from towns, counties and school districts and we do not LOWER our expenses at the same time, where do you think the revenue is made up? Tax increases! This is how this state works, do something that looks good, but don't fix the system that dictated the need for the tax in the first place!
The reason why these taxes are still around is because the state created programs with the monies. Are these programs gone? Are the cost they were paying for gone? If not what is going to happen once the revenue is gone?