NYC Gazette

State spending has seen a significant increase, yet middle-class families and small businesses in Brooklyn continue to face challenges. A recent statement highlighted the concerns of a local representative who noted that "the last time I voted for a state budget we used roughly $80 billion less taxpayer money." The representative emphasized that despite the rise in state spending each year, the expected benefits have not materialized for many residents.

The representative expressed disappointment over the allocation of resources, saying, "I would have liked to see more resources allocated to our local transportation system and bus lines, the establishment of a Coney Island trade school, reducing utility bills for our families and seniors and strengthening penalties for opioid and fentanyl dealers."

While acknowledging some progress in public safety measures, such as restoring judicial discretion for judges to detain violent offenders, the representative stressed that this is only a preliminary step. "This is only the first step in a public safety overhaul desperately needed to give peace of mind back to the public," they stated. They called for the abolition of lenient policies like cashless bail and 'Raise the Age' to address what they described as a state of lawlessness and disrespect toward police.

Summarizing their perspective on the current budget's impact on New Yorkers, they concluded, "The budget yielded a mixed bag for New Yorkers but one thing was clear – one-party rule has produced nothing but dysfunction, secrecy and a very late state budget – all of which are failures of leadership."