DEMOCRATS CALL FOR STATE LEGISLATURE TO RESTORE FUNDS TO STATE BUDGET 

TROY--Members of the Democratic Minority of the Rensselaer County Legislature are calling on Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assembly Speaker Ron Canestari to restore funding to counties.  According to Deputy Minority Leader Keith Hammond, "We are urging state legislative leaders, as co-equal partners in the budget process, to restore cuts proposed by the Governor."

According to Hammond, "The Republican Majority Legislators in the County Legislature are too busy playing politics than working for real change to the Governor's budget proposals."  At the February 12^th meeting of the County Legislature, the GOP refused to allow the Democrats to insert language including Bruno and Silver in the message opposing the proposed 2008-09 state budget.

"This should not be an issue of protecting political allies, but protecting taxpayers," said Hammond.  "My colleagues know that the proposed state budget is now in the Legislature's hands and any real change to the Governor's proposals will take place there."

"We should be working together to relieve the real burden on taxpayers -- not waste time with meaningless resolutions and press releases that are politically-motivated.  The Governor has presented his budget, now we need to convince the State Legislature where it needs revisions. If the Majority legislators sincerely want to change the Governor's budget, they need to reach out to our state representatives -- Majority Leaders Bruno and Canestrari -- that's the way the system works and the GOP knows that."

"By refusing to insert our simple amendments that would have directed the message to where it needs to go, the Majority showed their true colors -- political not productive," said Hammond. "Their failure to act forces us to submit additional resolutions that only adds to more waste in staff time and resources at both the state and local levels."

Resolutions opposing portions of the proposed 2008-09 budget address increases in state mandates, fees, reduction in state-mandated welfare programs provided by the county, reduction in state reimbursement for operation of the Van Rensselaer Manor nursing home and reduction in juvenile detention programs.