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Local assemblymen sign pledge

Sean Ahern 01/14/10



Assemblymen James Tedisco, R-Glenville, and George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, joined members of the business community and legislators to sign a tax-free budget pledge for the 2010 executive budget on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at the New York State Legislative Office Building.

The pledge commits legislators to a spending restraint and transparency and a promise to vote against any proposed tax increased contained in the coming year's budget. During the event, Tedisco said that fiscal discipline is important in the coming year.

"Had we practiced fiscal restraint years ago, our state would not be facing such an ominous budget scenario," said Tedisco in a statement. "But the time has come to stop the bleeding and hold elected officials accountable for their actions. This is a simple way in which New Yorkers can see where their elected officials stand."


According to a press release from the assembly, with legislators entering the budget session, the state faces an estimated $7.4 billion deficit. Legislators entered last year's budget negotiations with a smaller budget deficit, but spending was increased by $11 billion and the budget was balanced by federal stimulus money and a raising of taxes, fees and surcharges by $8.2 billion.

Amedore said at the event that he was signing the pledge to "send a message" to politicians to make the decisions needed to fight tax increases and for greater transparency at the state level.

"Our state is at a critical crossroads. State government is broken and its taxpayers are strained from years of overspending and tax increases," said Amedore in a statement. "I am signing this pledge to send a message to politicians to make the tough decisions needed to bring our fiscal house in order. We must fight against tax increases, fight for greater transparency in government and create savings for taxpayers. It is time that taxpayers found out who wants to make a difference for them in Albany and who does not."............>>>>.................>>>>............http://www.spotlightnews.com/news/view_news.php?news_id=1263495008

If I hear "transparency" one more time, grrrrr.  They're all liars.

All the politicians in office right now are trying to save their political a** because they know that we the people are sick and tired of what they've done since being elected to office against the wishes of the taxpayers.

This makes as much sense as someone who is in their 13th term in the New York State Assembly stating that we need term limits.

See his blog post and the remarks on it here, his blog entry titled "One Good Term." http://blog.timesunion.com/tedisco/one-good-term/151/

Now I'm embarrassed.......