Today, advocates for a budget that represents all of New York came together to announce their “2012 Counter Budget.” This was released to remind Governor Cuomo and the state legislature of the issues they are neglecting as they make their final decisions on the 2012 New York State Budget.
AQE’s Nikki Jones continued the call for aid to our state’s public schools. As local districts contemplate cutting Kindergarten, AP classes, and laying off teachers, aids and secretaries, the state continues to allow corporations to skirt paying their fair share in taxes. Nikki pointed out that an $805 million increase this year does little to repair the $2.7 billion in damages created over the last two budget cycles in New York.
Also on hand at the press conference outside the Senate Chamber was Citizen Action’s Legislative and Campaigns Director Jessica Wisneski, who spoke of a budget item that actually doesn’t cost the state a dime, but would go a long way to improve the lives of New Yorkers. Jessica called for the inclusion of New York’s Health Insurance Exchange in the final budget. The Exchange, the new insurance marketplace for individuals and small businesses, is part of the state’s obligation under the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress in 2010. An exchange in New York would save individuals as much as 66% in insurance costs and small businesses as much as 22% according to the Urban Institute study done at the state’s request. An exchange would also cover over one million currently uninsured New Yorkers, who now face life or death decisions about whether or not to go bankrupt to see a doctor when they are sick. Jessica noted that although it’s only the Senate Republicans who have neglected to include the health insurance exchange establishment legislation in their budget, “it is the responsibility of all three entities, the Governor, Assembly and State Senate to get this done in the final budget so we can begin providing more quality, affordable health insurance to all New Yorkers.”
Representatives from the 99 New York camapign also spoke about the need to adequately fund higher education, increase the minimum wage in New York and stop all cuts to desperately needed human services in our state, including homeless shelters, soup kitchens and many more facilities that have seen dramatic increases in usage during these down economic times.
Advocates closed the press event by reminding the Governor and Legislature there is an easy solution to finding the money needed to adiquatly fund our state’s needs – that is, by closing down the most egregious corporate tax loopholes in our state’s laws. Billions of dollars in revenue could easily be gained by raising the “corporate minimum tax” and making sure that corporations pay their fair share, just like every other “individual” in New York does with their state income taxes. Equally important is to enforce the law and make sure real estate tycoons are paying their fair share when they sell huge properties. There is example after example of ways that our lawmakers can stop balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and hard working families of our state by making multi-billion dollar corporations and their CEOs pay their fair share.
Call the Governor, your Assemblymember and State Senator TODAY to remind them that they represent real people, not corporations, in our state house.
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WTEN: http://www.news10.com/story/17191742/groups-propose-counter-budget
Capitol Confidential: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/121359/nyffs-counter-budget-close-corporate-tax-loopholes/[/toggle]