6/24/10: New Yorkers Need Leadership, Not Increased Taxes

"We've said it before and we'll say it again until the governor and the Legislature gets it - closing New York's monstrous deficit through new taxes and increases in current taxes is a cowardly move. New York's families and businesses are already struggling under the second-highest tax burden in the nation.  Instead of raising 10-12 percent of the budget deficit through increases, they should instead be cutting an additional 10-12 percent of recurring spending.  That's the right solution.

Now is not the time to kick the average New Yorker family while they're down.  They don't need, nor do they want, more taxes.  The more than 20,000 members of the Unshackle Army have been clear - what they want is for their elected officials to realize that New York cannot sustain its current spending levels.  The conversation shouldn't be about raising taxes or borrowing billions.  It should be about how the state now needs to do what we have done&tightened belts, made tough choices, and hunkered down to ride out this recession.

Every New York resident will have the opportunity to vote this fall.  November 2 is Judgment Day.  I would not want to be an Upstate elected official that has to defend a decision to vote for a bloated budget forced on them by their legislative leaders instead of doing what their constituents have continually asked them to do&to be leaders and make tough decisions."