For Release: IMMEDIATELY, November 17, 2009

Contact: Joshua Fitzpatrick (518) 542-2413/(518) 455-3751, joshuakevfitz@yahoo.com

ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER BRIAN KOLB, ASSEMBLY

REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE, OUTLINE REAL SOLUTIONS
TO CLOSE NEW YORK’S BUDGET DEFICIT
Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) and the Assembly
Republican Conference held a press conference today in the State Capitol to outline their real
solutions to close New York’s $3.2 billion budget deficit. During this morning’s press
conference, Kolb utilized three charts to visualize the real solutions his Conference has offered to
close the budget shortfall.

“In case you missed it, beginning back in March, our Conference repeatedly warned that
an unsustainable growth in government spending and $8.2 billion in job-killing taxes and fees
would explode the budget deficit. That is exactly what happened and is why our entire
Conference voted against the 2009-10 State Budget that was crafted without our involvement or
input,” Kolb said.

“Beginning in July, I publicly and repeatedly called for public, five-way Legislative
Leaders’ meetings to specifically address the state’s worsening budget. My calls went ignored as
revenues declined and the budget deficit grew even bigger,” Kolb stated.

“I offered a list of specific, non-partisan suggestions to Governor Paterson back on

October 13 to close New York’s budget deficit. Now, here we are on November 17, our second
week of a Special Session that, so far, hasn’t been very special. In fact, it’s been a colossal waste
of time and money. The Legislature must take action. Our Conference is here working and we
have, again, offered our solutions. It’s time others joined us by doing the same,” Kolb said.

“During the debate on the 2009-10 State Budget in March, I warned that it would be an
‘unmitigated disaster.’ Inevitably, April's reckless and unaffordable state government spending
spree, coupled with job-killing tax hikes on families and business, put New York State in a head-
on fiscal wreck,” said Assemblyman Jim Hayes (R-Amherst), Ranking Member on the Assembly
Ways and Means Committee.

“The Majorities in both houses, after perpetrating this disastrous and unaffordable
budget, all stubbornly refused to face up to the reality of the fiscal wreck they created, while over
the last month Leader Kolb and our Conference offered a series of substantive, non-partisan
solutions to solve this crisis. The Majorities in both houses retreated behind closed doors and
refused to offer any ideas. Their refusal to lead is shameful and continues to cost New York
taxpayers dearly,” Hayes concluded.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Attached with this news release, are pdfs of the three charts
Leader Kolb utilized during this morning’s press conference to outline the real
solutions offered by the Assembly Republican Conference for closing the budget deficit.
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