ALBANY –– New York State Senator Mike Martucci voted against the Senate One-House Budget resolution on Monday.

He called one-house budget resolutions “political documents” and “not realistic budget proposals.”

“I was pleased to see several initiatives I have been fighting for included in the laundry list of funding increases provided for in the resolution” said Martucci.

“Among these are Fair Pay for Home Care – a bill I was the first Republican to co-sponsor, Fee-for-Service Parity for neighborhood pharmacies, and expanded bonuses for healthcare workers,” he continued.

However, Martucci believes the overall level of spending imagined in the document is “crazy,” and said the last thing the State needs is “another tax-and-spend budget.”

He was further critical of the resolution saying it, “takes us even further down the road of putting the needs of criminals and inmates before that of law-abiding citizens.”

Martucci said the resolution seals the criminal records of felons, gives tuition assistance to convicts, and “does absolutely nothing to address the State’s failed and dangerous bail reform law that’s contributing to a statewide crime wave.”

“The Majority even ignored the protection of firefighters by failing to include Billy’s Law, which would add 3rd and 4th degree felony arson to the list of offenses eligible for bail,” said Martucci. “Make no mistake, New Yorkers would be less safe were this resolution to be fully enacted.”

He said for those reasons, he voted “No.”

“The good news is the passage of this resolution is far from the final word in this budget process,” said Martucci. “As we move toward a final budget, we must address the clear and present dangers facing our state: crime, population loss, and high taxes, while still making sure to properly fund education, support our local pharmacies, and ensure fair pay for our home care workers.”