Statement by Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos

Since the Governor proposed his Executive Budget five months ago, Senate Republicans have consistently said that we will not support a budget that includes more taxes, fees and borrowing because we are listening to the people of this state who have simply had enough and don’t want to pay any more.

Governor Paterson’s comments in radio interviews this morning regarding his preference for tax increases over borrowing to close the budget deficit confirms what I said earlier this week, that New York taxpayers should be prepared for yet another massive tax increase and this is totally unacceptable.

Democrat leaders estimate that as much as 60 percent of the budget has been passed, yet only about one billion dollars in spending has been cut, leaving little room for additional cuts to close the $9.5 billion state budget deficit.

At the leaders meeting yesterday, I warned Governor Paterson, Senator Sampson and Speaker Silver that they are headed towards a budget that relies on more taxes, more fees, more borrowing and more gimmicks to close the budget gap.

If the Governor sticks to the comments he made this morning that he would favor additional taxes but would veto borrowing, it’s makes it even more clear that taxpayers should hold onto their wallets because the Democrats are ready to hit them up for more money.

Last year Democrats approved a disastrous budget that increased taxes by $2400 a year for a family of four. They increased state spending by $13 billion, increased taxes by $8.5 billion and passed a devastating $1.5 billion payroll tax on downstate New Yorkers; all leading to the massive deficit the state faces today. ####

Posted by Dean G. Skelos on Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Bush Crisis Response 14 Times (and counting) Faster than Obama's

The Bush administration's crisis response was 14 times and counting faster than Obama's. No its not just your imagination, have a look at the timeline below, ALMOST beyond belief. Can you imagine the outcry from the lame stream media.

Un-like the Obama administration's claims regarding many other of their problems, the perception of a slow response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster is indeed certainly President Bush's fault.

The Bush response to waive the Jones Act and encourage international help, lets say 4 days.

August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The storm weakened before making its second landfall as a Category 3 storm on the morning of Monday, August 29 in southeast Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina From Wikipedia

September 01, 2005 The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINE BYLINE: R.G. Edmonson

WASHINGTON - President Bush has directed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to waive the Jones Act requirement for the domestic transportation of petroleum products by sea. U.S. to waive Jones Act for petroleum shipments.(Merchant Marine Act of 1920)

The Obama response not to waive the Jones Act and discourage international help like that of the Dutch on day 3, lets say 56 days and counting.

April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An explosion on the rig killed eleven crewmen. The resulting fire could not be extinguished and, on April 22, 2010, Deepwater Horizon sank, leaving its well gushing and causing the largest offshore oil spill in United States history. Deepwater Horizon From Wikipedia

June 16, 2010 Republicans ask President Obama to waive portions of the Jones Act

There are numerous reports that offers by foreign corporations or governments to send skimmer vessels to the Gulf have been refused as a result of concerns arising from the Jones Act, which, among other things, regulates the use of foreign-owned vessels between U.S. ports. However, your Administration has the authority to waive any bureaucratic barriers that may exist under the Jones Act.” LeMieux_Miller_(JonesActLetter) PDF

Bush Crisis Response 14 Times (and counting) Faster than Obama's. "Michael DeWayne Brown, you're doing a heck of a job,"