Slater, Byrne Launch Petition Drive to Cap State Spending
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Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater and State Assemblyman Kevin Byrne launched a petition drive last week urging state lawmakers to impose a more stringent spending cap.
Standing in front of the Putnam County Courthouse in Carmel, Slater, who is running for the State Assembly in the 94th District, Byrne, Assemblyman Colin Schmitt and other Republican candidates stood together in criticizing the Democratic leadership in Albany.
Since 2018, Slater pointed out the state budget has grown by more than $40 billion. This year’s budget totals $220 billion.
“With our nation on the verge of an economic crisis caused by record inflation, we need fiscal restraint out of Albany more now than ever,” Slater said. “There is legislation in both houses of the Legislature to impose a state spending cap and leaders of both houses should not end the Legislative Session without putting them up for a vote.”
Byrne, who represents Yorktown and is running unopposed for Putnam County executive in November, is a member of the Assembly Committee on Ways and Mean.
“New Yorkers are fleeing the state in droves, with our enormous tax burden being one of the primary factors. Since joining the state Legislature in 2017, I have voted against every state tax increase,” Byrne said. “In addition, I have introduced legislation that would encourage shared services, make it easier for localities to institute sales tax exemptions and highlight local governments that take extra steps to protect taxpayers.”
Byrne noted the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) once again ranked New York State as 50th out of all 50 states for economic outlook in its annual ‘Rich States, Poor States’ report.
“We need strong elected leaders who are unafraid to identify realistic ways to rein-in out-of-control government spending. Supervisor Slater and my fellow colleagues in the Assembly Republican Conference get that,” Byrne concluded.
Slater is vying to replace Byrne in the Assembly. He will be squaring off against Kathleen Valletta, a longtime Putnam County attorney, who will appear on the ballot on the Democratic line.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
