My Proposed Resolution in Support the Passage of The Budget Equity Act

A Resolution of the New York State Democratic Committee to Support the Passage of The Budget Equity Act

April 26, 2023

WHEREAS, the United States Constitution calls for a system of checks and balances so that the branches of government are co-equal;

WHEREAS, a balance of power with co-equal branches of government is necessary for our government to function and to function well;

WHEREAS, a fundamental principle of our democracy is that elected officials represent and reflect the opinions and values of the people, their constituents;

WHEREAS, the current provisions of the New York State (NYS) Constitution, as interpreted by the NYS Court of Appeals, limits the power the NYS Legislature in the NYS budget process by allowing for the NYS Executive to include changes to permanent law in proposed appropriations bills, by not requiring the NYS Executive to make a statement on any changes made to permanent law in proposed appropriations bills, and by prohibiting the NYS Legislature from adding, deleting, and modifying legislation packaged in budget bills;

WHEREAS, given this interpretation of NYS Constitution, the NYS Legislature does not have an equal power with the NYS Executive in the NYS budget process and there are not the necessary checks and balances in place to ensure a fair and equitable budget process in NYS;

WHEREAS, the NYS 2024 budget was not passed by the April 1st deadline as required by NYS law;

WHEREAS, the Executive’s 2024 budget proposal included amendments to permanent law that are not supported by all New Yorkers;

WHEREAS, the amendments to permanent law and other parts of the 2024 Executive budget proposal are reflective of the priorities of billionaires and special interests;

WHEREAS, NYS Senators and Assembly Members have a responsibility and duty to represent the values and opinions of their constituents when voting on legislation and the NYS budget;

WHEREAS, NYS Senators and Assembly Members could not fulfill their responsibility and duty to represent the values and opinions of their constituents because the Executive has unchecked power in the NYS budget;

WHEREAS, the NYS Governor, due to these provisions in the NYS Constitution, necessarily becomes a target of threats and enticements from billionaires and special interests and is also not easily able to fulfill their duty to constituents;

WHEREAS, in NYS the average income of the top 1 percent of earners is over 44 times the average income of the bottom 99 percent — the most extreme disparity of any state;

WHEREAS, only 0.4 percent of NYS’ population, New Yorkers worth over $30 million, collectively own $6.7 trillion in wealth;

WHEREAS, two thirds of New Yorkers believe “cost of living” should be the Governor’s top priority(1);

WHEREAS, 74 percent of New Yorkers agree that Government should do more to solve problems(2);

WHEREAS, 75 percent of New Yorkers agree that New York should tax the ultra-rich instead of cutting services(3);

WHEREAS, NYS could have permanently enacted progressive taxation policy that taxes the wealthiest New Yorkers and and NYS corporation at higher rates in the 2024 NYS budget;

WHEREAS, the NYS budget could have prioritized using State revenue to invest in communities and build a foundation for a future where all New Yorkers could earn a living wage, have a social safety net, are protected from the impact of climate change, and have quality housing, education, healthcare, childcare, and transit;

WHEREAS, the NYS budget should uplift New Yorkers and their communities and our democratic process;

WHEREAS we, as a Party, claim to be champions of democratic principles of governing in a fair and balanced way for all New Yorkers;

WHEREAS we, as a Party, prioritize justice, including economic justice, for all New Yorkers;

THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED that we, the New York State Democratic Committee, hereby call on the New York State Legislature to ensure a proper balance of power between the executive and legislative branches of government in New York State, a fair, equitable, and transparent budget process, and that the democratic principles of representation are upheld, by passing the Budget Equity Act within two consecutive legislative sessions, so that it can go before the voters in the 2025 November Election.

(1)Sienna Poll:: https://scri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SNY-December-2022-Poll-Release-12-13-22-FINAL.pdf

(2)TOPOS research on New Yorkers’ views on economy: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000184-4f5c-d6e1-a3a6-df7ef54e0000

(3)Data For Progress Poll: https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2021/3/25/new-york-voters-support-taxing-the-rich