Pataki Calls for Education Reform, Tax Breaks in State of the State

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Gov. George Pataki gave his 10th annual State of the State Address on Wednesday and called for an overhaul of the state's education aid system, new tax breaks for business and a special effort to revitalize the state's anemic manufacturing sector, according to prepared text of the speech.

Speaking before a joint session of the Legislature in the Assembly Chamber at the New York State Capitol in Albany, Pataki said he will "finally throw out" current state education aid distribution formulas and replace it with a simpler and fairer system.

"We must finally throw out our archaic system of education finance," Pataki said Wednesday. While providing few details of how he would do that, Pataki cautioned that "we cannot be taking resources from one school district to meet the needs of another."

Pataki and the Legislature are under a court order to revamp the state education aid system to help poor and urban districts become more competitive with their rich suburban neighbors. But the governor said he did not approve of changes that would take funds from wealthier school districts to support poorer ones.

Pataki said he will expand funding of public colleges and universities to also include independent ones, which he called "a critical part of our state's higher education system."

The governor also said he will exempt New York National Guard pay from state taxes and increase active duty pay for troops on the front lines of the war against terror.

Pataki also touted the recent state tax cuts, regulatory reforms and investments in job-creating programs like Empire Zones and high-tech initiatives for improving New York's economy. He claimed that the cuts helped to create nearly a half million new jobs and made New York the place to do business again.

“Today, the Empire State's economy is fundamentally stronger and holds the promise of a better future because of the steps we've taken. Today, we are ready to compete,” said Pataki, who also thanked Senate Republican majority leader Joseph L. Bruno and Democratic Assembly leader Sheldon Silver for agreeing not to raise New Yorkers' taxes this year.

He also called on the Legislature to join him in an effort to create 1 million new jobs by the end of the decade. One proposal was to allow New York-based companies better compete and encourage others to locate here by phasing-in reforms of the state's tax law to benefit firms that have a majority of their jobs, factories and capital investments in New York.

Pataki also announced that later this month the design for a new transit hub at the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan would be unveiled as would four options for linking the area to Kennedy International Airport and Long Island.

Click here for the complete text of Pataki's address.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 1/7/04