BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP APRIL 21 – APRIL 27, 2017 15 MOVING FORWARD ON PRIORITY POLICIES The fi nal state spending plan le much to be desired, and Albany must now look at the measures needed to fi ll in the gaps during the remainder of the 2017 legislative session. The 2017-18 budget falls short in several important areas: New Yorkers still su er under the worst tax burden in America; Upstate’s employment growth is lagging far behind New York City and the rest of the country; and billions in state taxpayer dollars are still being spent without enough oversight. As we move forward, the legislature must focus on priorities that make New York more a ordable, our public programs more accountable, and advance common-sense initiatives that provide real benefi ts to families and communities throughout the state: Provide More Help For Small Businesses: The recently passed Workers’ Compensation reforms are a good fi rst step, but more action needs to follow to support local job creators. The fi nal budget included tax breaks for union dues, but no tax breaks for small businesses. I will continue to promote the Small Business Full Employment Act which, if enacted, would give tax credits to businesses, including a credit for merely maintaining their workforce. Overdue Economic Development Reform: Albany missed a chance to address another area hampering the state’s economy— wasteful, corrupt economic development programs that do not deliver results for taxpayers. The fi nal budget requires the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) to issue an annual report measuring the impact of the programs under their purview and related industry trends. An annual report isn’t the answer. The Assembly minority has introduced legislation to raise the level of accountability and eficiency of economic development agencies. Comprehensive reform is the only way to ensure taxpayers are getting a proper return on their investment. Protect Our Communities By Passing Brittany’s Law: A vote on the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, also known as “Brittany’s Law,” has been continually held up in committee by the Assembly majority, despite overwhelmingly passing the Senate seven times. If passed, it would save lives and protect victims of domestic violence by creating a registry of violent felony o enders. It’s inexcusable that legislation designed to combat domestic abuse and protect New Yorkers has been needlessly stalled. Directly Address Unfunded Mandates: Under the new budget, counties are required to convene a panel charged with looking at consolidation and shared services. For many county executives, this is a redundant and unnecessary exercise that will produce no meaningful results. The true driver of New York’s high property taxes are the unfunded mandates handed down to localities by Albany bureaucrats. Costly programs forced onto counties are ultimately funded by property taxes. My bill would place a moratorium on any new unfunded mandates. Rather than a gimmick, we need a solution that tackles the issue where it starts. There is a tremendous amount of work ahead of us on some of the most important issues facing New Yorkers. The budget process generates headlines and politically driven policies, but that doesn’t mean everything has been adequately addressed. New York should be more a ordable, more e cient, and more accountable. Over the next several months, the legislature must implement solutions to questions and concerns that have lingered for too long. What do you think? I want to hear from you. Give me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State at 315-781-2030 or kolbb@nyassembly. gov. Assemblymember Brian Kolb serves as minority leader. BK SNAP S THE DUCKS AT POLY PREP. Photo by Christopher Benedetto Send us your photos of Brooklyn and you could see them online or in our paper. Submit them to us via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag #HRPix; or email them to [email protected]. GUEST OPED THE HOT TOPIC STORY: Verrazano toll plaza work gets off to a bumpy start SUMMARY: On Monday, April 10, the last day of the traffi c snarl and the third day of the reconfi gured traffi c pattern, cars crept down Fort Hamilton Parkway from Marine Avenue toward 92nd Street, taking close to half an hour to make the four-block-trek around 7 p.m. This, this paper’s editor-in-chief uncovered, is due to the revamping of the toll plaza at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to switch over to open-road tolling, a move that when it kicks off this summer should save drivers time and cut down on backups that, on bad days, have gone all the way into Bay Ridge. Our readers were quick to react. REACH: 4,891 people (as of 4/10/2017) BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER BRIAN KOLB FOR MORE NEWS, VISIT www.brooklynreporter.com
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