SC New York News

Senator O'Mara has shared his weekly perspective on key challenges and issues facing the Legislature, legislative actions, local initiatives, state programs and policies. This week’s column is titled "Tiptoeing around state spending won't cut it now."

O'Mara references a recent statewide poll from the Siena College Research Institute that found less than one-third of New Yorkers believe the state is headed in the right direction. According to Siena's analysis, "This is the most pessimistic New Yorkers have been about the direction of the state in at least a decade."

O'Mara attributes this pessimism to various reasons, including state spending. He points out that Governor Hochul and the Legislature's all-Democrat supermajorities enacted what he calls "the most expensive state budget in New York's history." He notes that since 2018, when Republicans last held a majority in the state Senate, New York State's budget has increased by approximately $70 billion or upwards of 40%.

The senator highlights projections from the governor's budget division indicating that current state spending will significantly outpace revenue in coming years. The projected deficits are $2.3 billion for next fiscal year, $4.3 billion for the following year, and $7.3 billion thereafter.

Other fiscal watchdogs like the Citizens Budget Commission warn that New York's structural deficit could exceed $16 billion by 2028.

As Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, O'Mara had previously called this year's fiscal plan "the most bloated and wasteful government budget in America." He expects phrases like "budget freeze," "spending restraint," or "stabilize and be realistic" about finances to emerge from Albany soon.

He criticizes Albany Democrats for their spending habits: “Their tenure has been defined (and will now forever be defined) as an era when Albany Democrats went ahead and spent the roof off the state Capitol.” He argues that their growth in spending surpasses entire budgets of many states and is larger than combined budgets of Texas and Florida.

O'Mara believes there has been no restraint on spending from Albany Democrats and warns taxpayers will face trying financial conditions due to various crises including migrant issues, energy mandates costs, Unemployment Insurance debt, rising Medicaid costs among others.

In his view: “To afford it, Albany Democrats will go on squeezing every penny they possibly can from state and local taxpayers through higher taxes,” which he believes will include more borrowing and raiding reserve funds among other measures.

O’Mara concludes with a rhetorical question about why New Yorkers are feeling more pessimistic than they have been in a long time.

###