LETTER TO THE EDITOR

A BUDGET FOR A STRONGER FUTURE

Received From Senator Carl Marcellino
5th Senate District

April 10, 2017

To the Editor:

My colleagues and I have been working to ensure a stronger, healthier, more prosperous future for the Empire State -- a future where all New Yorkers have the opportunity to succeed. 
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The newly enacted 2017-18 State Budget will help us to realize these goals by:

• Providing a record amount of aid to our schools, so students and teachers have the resources they need to succeed;
• Worked to protect a major income tax cut for middle-class families that slashes tax rates by 20 percent (This tax cut, one of the largest in state history, will reduce taxes by approximately $4.2 billion for millions of middle-class New Yorkers, as well as tens of thousands of small businesses.);
• Rejected several new taxes and fees advanced by the Governor, including a proposed sales tax on items that New York consumers purchase on the Internet;
• Delivering approximately $3.6 billion in critically important property tax relief through STAR, Enhanced STAR, and property tax relief checks;
• Approving the largest new investment in state history to ensure clean, safe drinking water;
• Making ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber available statewide;
• Making college more affordable for hardworking, middle-class families;
• Combating heroin and opioid addiction with unprecedented levels of funding for important programs and initiatives; and
• Keeping overall spending growth below a self-imposed, two-percent spending cap, protecting our residents from escalating taxes.

Our strongest commitments yet to job training, health care, public education and programs to combat heroin addiction.  The new State Budget for 2017-18 will help us realize each of these goals.
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Sincerely,
Carl L. Marcellino