By Thomas Libous

I’ve always tried to work hard for our community; protecting and building our assets. I’ve helped bring thousands of jobs to the area by securing $100 million in capital funding for Binghamton University, securing millions of dollars for our local hospitals, helping convince the Ottawa Senators to locate its American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton, bringing the PGA Champions Tour’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Open golf tournament to Endicott, and keeping the AA-level Binghamton Mets Baseball Club in the Southern Tier.

And what I’m doing in Albany right now is no different. Protecting us from further damage done by the Senate democrats is my number one priority.

Comptroller DiNapoli is predicting a $3 billion budget deficit this year. We’re going to have to negotiate a solution to deal with that deficit. You need a voice in those negotiations. The Budget can’t be decided by three New York City bosses behind closed doors again.

That’s why this change is so important now.

Ever since the State Budget passed in April, hardworking taxpayers like you have been angry and with good reason. The New York City bosses decided that your opinion and the opinion of the people that represent you and the rest of Upstate New York didn’t matter. That’s why they negotiated a Budget in secret. They stuck you with your share of billions of dollars in new taxes and fees. Most of us can’t understand “billions of dollars.” But let me share with you how these taxes hurt you and your family. They increased your utility taxes and taxes on your health care, they increased your car registration fee and your SUNY tuition and they took away your STAR Rebate Check.

When we’re facing difficult economic times your government should be tightening its belt, not going on a spending spree expecting you to foot the bill. It’s insulting. That’s why I voted no on their Budget proposal. And that’s why I proposed a plan that would’ve cut wasteful spending and totally avoided tax increases. But it was ignored.