NEW YORK – New York State Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R, C-Staten Island/ Brooklyn) on March 14 released a statement following the release of the State Assembly’s One House budget summary on March 13. Democrats have a majority in the Assembly as well as in the State Senate in New York.

“Our state’s migrant crisis and devastating public safety crisis are a result of the Democrats’ soft-on-crime proposals that continue to jeopardize the safety of New Yorkers,” Assemblyman Tannousis said. “Yet Assembly Democrats want to ignore the political realities of their failures and dump a new $2.4 billion in tax dollars to provide clothing, food, shelter, health care, legal services and other support services for migrants. The criminal justice system could be restored by the stroke of a pen that reverses the disastrous bail reform laws, but Democrats instead choose to throw money at the problem instead of fixing the underlying issues. This exorbitant budget proposal will continue to force New Yorkers to flee to safer, more affordable states. The Democrats are out of touch with tax paying, working-class New Yorkers and they are not serious about addressing the real problems.”

Assemblyman Tannousis, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, and Councilmember Kamilah Hanks are continuing their opposition to congestion pricing as recent statistics show it primarily benefits wealthier communities in Manhattan; and lower income communities on the North Shore of Staten Island will be forced to pay congestion prices each time they enter Manhattan, according to a news release on March 14.

“This money-grabbing scheme has received abundant opposition since Gov. Hochul and New York City officials announced this selfish proposal,” said Tannousis. “During a massive affordability crisis pushing our state toward a financial cliff, greedy elected officials and bureaucrats have decided to throw additional costs at those who commute to work. Meanwhile, wealthier communities in Manhattan will take advantage of less traffic while Staten Islanders will suffer the most especially since we do not have any viable public transportation methods. My colleagues in Staten Island and I will continue our fight against congestion pricing so hard-working families and commuters do not suffer additional costs that fund New York City’s mess.”