Dear Consituents:

As Democrats, it is our responsibility to offer protection for the most needy, the poor, the elderly, our children and handicapped people in all communities throughout New York State.

It is for this reason that I am surprised that our Democratic Governor has proposed budget cuts of 2 billion dollars to the State’s budget and that these cuts will directly and definitely hurt our most needy communities.

This proposal by Governor David Paterson includes cuts to programs and services for the elderly, cuts to our children’s education, increases in college tuitions, cuts to health care services, hospital closings, cuts to Medicaid, cuts to programs and services for the disabled, cuts to mental health services, and salary reductions to health care workers such as home-attendants, nurses and maintenance workers.