Politics & Government

Graf Lashes Out At State Spending Plan

Assemblyman expresses satisfaction with funds returned to Sachem School District, but praises little else.

Assemblyman Al Graf (R,C,I-Holbrook) stated that he was "thankful" for New York State's decision to restore aid to Sachem Schools to the tune of $2.3 million, but had little else to be thankful for.

In a statement released yesterday, Graf mentioned Sachem explicitly in his evaluation of the state budget, but lambasted Gov. Cuomo's spending priorities.

"Thankfully, we were able to increase funding for the Sachem School District by $2.3 million," Graf stated in the release. "But we need to do much more for our children, families and businesses. Long Islanders cannot be asked to sacrifice critical programs and services while also being overtaxed to subsidize the rest of the state, and I will continue fighting to protect Long Islanders’ interests.”

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Among the line items Graf expressed discontent over is the decision to cut spending for developmentally disabled and Alzheimer's patients, while committing $60 million to renovate Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Graf stated. Staying within the football realm, Graf was also displeased with Cuomo's decision to earmark $5 million to help support the 2014 Super Bowl, because the game will not even take place in New York State.

“What kind of message does this send to the parents of disabled children and their families who are seeing their programs slashed while the state spends so much money on frivolous projects?” Graf asked in the statement.

Find out what's happening in Sachemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Other issues with the state's spending plan include:

  • The extension of a utility tax for another four years.
  • Insufficient rebate checks of $350 for households earning up to $300,000 per year.
  • Lack of property tax relief for seniors and working class families.

Assemblyman Graf maintains a YouTube channel where viewers can watch him argue and debate state policies. Click here to visit the channel.

 
 
 


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