Carlucci: State Must Fix Budget Process

The state Senate Tuesday night finally approved a new $136 billion state budget – long beyond the April 1 budget deadline.

Local lawmakers are still trying to sort out the impact of the spending plan – which cuts aid to New York's schools by $1.4 billion – but reaction to the budget delay has been clear.

"One hundred and twenty-five days is too long to wait for 212 men and women to decide the fate of New York State," said Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci, D-New City, who running for state Senate. "As an example of how far our government has spiraled out of control, it took less time (116 days) to write the U.S. Constitution. New Yorkers can no longer stand idly by and wait for our elected officials to get around to representing our interests."

Carlucci is running for the seat that was held by the late state Sen. Thomas Morahan, R-New City, who died July 12 at age 78. Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef is the Republican Party's candidate for Morahan's seat, which represents all of Rockland County and part of Orange County.

"There are many issues to be debated, but it is abundantly clear that real reform must come first if we are ever going to fix this broken process," Carlucci said. "There is too much at stake. Our next legislature must take steps to ensure that this process does not repeat itself. When our legislature is full-time and accountable to the people, we will finally be able to move New York in a new direction."

The 2010-2011 budget has about $1.1 billion in new taxes and fees to close a $9.2 billion gap.