NORWICH – A tax cap, ethics reform and marriage equality are at the top of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s legislative agenda, according to Matthew Driscoll.
The former two-term Syracuse mayor, now the president and CEO of New York’s Environmental Facilities Corporation, was in Norwich last week to meet with elected officials and business leaders at Commerce Chenango.
“Today, I’m really carrying an important message from the governor,” said Driscoll, whose visit last Friday was part of Cuomo’s People First Campaign.
According to Driscoll, Cuomo has already delivered on one of his campaign promises: passing a budget.
“The budget was honest, it was balanced and it was on time,” he said, applauding Cuomo for closing the state’s $10 billion budget gap without borrowing or raising taxes.
Now, he explained, the governor has moved on to the second phase of his action plan for New York.
According to the state official, Cuomo has three priorities for the remainder of the legislative session. The first, he explained, is to stimulate the economy, which he proposes to do by instituting a tax cap. The second, to “clean up Albany” through ethics reform; and the third, to “return New York’s legacy of social progress,” by supporting marriage equality.
“Job one is to get the economy running,” he reported, explaining that the governor’s plan is to “level the field” for businesses by reducing the cost of government and reining in taxes.