Lost in the heated state-budget rhetoric in the Capitol and in the pages of The Post is the fact that New York’s taxes are the highest in the nation, and the Senate budget is the only proposal that cuts taxes and rejects the governor’s proposed tax increases (“Budget Busters,” Malcolm A. Smith, PostOpinion, March 19).
Gov. Spitzer, the state Assembly and Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith want New Yorkers to pay over $800 million more in taxes and fees.
Rather than increase business taxes, the Senate budget provides more than $723 million in business tax cuts this year, growing to more than $1.8 billion next year.
The plan provides $2.6 billion in property-tax relief that would triple the size of tax-rebate checks and be given directly to all homeowners instead of going to school districts as proposed by the governor.
The differences in budget plans couldn’t be more clear. The governor, the Assembly and Senate Democrats want to increase taxes. The Senate Republican majority rejects higher taxes and gives taxpayers more of their money back.
Joseph L. Bruno
State Senate
Majority Leader
Albany