Ortt: NY can’t spend its way to prosperity

State senator concerned over rising costs, including electricity from Power Authority

Photo by Tom Rivers: State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt speaks during Friday’s Orleans County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon at Bent’s Opera House in Medina. Ortt said state policies and spending are driving more businesses and residents to flee to other states.

MEDINA – State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt listened to presentation Friday on how Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget would help with an “affordability crisis” in the state.

The governor wants refunds to help with the rising cost of inflation, increased child tax credits, universal school meals with free breakfast and lunch, increased access to child care, and a middle-class tax cut. State Canal Commissioner Brian Stratton went through a power point about the governor’s proposed budget during the Legislative Luncheon organized by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

Ortt said he favors proposals to help residents keep more of their money. But Ortt said the governor’s proposed budget doesn’t rein in the state spending. The budget goes from $233 billion in 2024-25 to $242 billion in Hochul’s plan.

Ortt said he expects the spending will go even higher after the State Legislature, led by strong Democratic Party majorities, gets through with it.

“We cannot spend our way to a more affordable state,” Ortt said during Friday’s Legislative Luncheon with the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. “We need to reduce costs to stop residents and businesses from leaving.”

New York, population 19.6 million, spends more than states with bigger populations, Ortt said. Texas (population 30.5 million) spends $321.7 billion in a two-year budget, while Florida (population 22.6 million) has a proposed $115.6 billion budget for 2025-26.

“Why is New York so much more money?” Ortt said. “”You can’t spend your way to prosperity.”

The state senator cited two other price hikes that have him concerned about the affordability of the state.

Many businesses in Western New York, including some in Orleans County, have access to low-cost hydropower through the New York Power Authority. But NYPA is proposing to nearly triple the rates charged to customers for renewable hydropower from the Niagara Power Project. The proposed rate increase would go from $12.88 per megawatt-hour to $33.05 per megawatt-hour over four years.

Congestion pricing in New York City is imposing up to $9 fees on cars, $4.50 on motorcycles and $14.40 to $21.60 on trucks and buses. The pricing started on Jan. 5 to try to reduce some of the traffic in the city.

Ortt said he and Republicans in the Legislature are pushing for “immediate bold relief with taxes.”

Hochul, Ortt said, needs “to be more forceful” with Democrats in the Assembly and Senate about reducing costs in the state, addressing the negative impacts of bail reform, and targeting crime.

The state is entering a budget cycle with no more federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, adding to the challenges and pressure on New Yorkers to foot the full bill, Ortt said. ARPA was passed as part of a $1.9 billion federal stimulus package in 2021.

“We have got to do something about the rising costs in this state or we’ll continue to lose our most valuable asset, our people,” Ortt said.