OBSERVER photo by Dennis Phillips Left, John D’Agostino, OBSERVER and The Post-Journal editor, moderates the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce State Legislative Breakfast with state Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, and state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, who joined the event virtually while continuing to work in Albany on approving the 2022-23 state budget.

Bail reform, a decrease in the gas tax and the proposed new stadium for the Buffalo Bills were just a few of the topics local state legislators discussed during the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce State Legislative Breakfast on Friday.

Guests state Assemblyman Andy Goodell and state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, joined the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Jamestown virtually while they continued working in Albany to approve the 2022-23 state budget. The event was moderated by John D’Agostino, OBSERVER and The Post-Journal editor, who asked both state legislators about the budget deal that came together late Thursday.

Goodell said the spending plan is just under $222 billion, which is a significant increase in spending when compared to the 2020 state budget that tallied $176 billion.

He said the reason the state budget has increased drastically is because of $8 billion in new taxes and the billions the state received in federal stimulus funds.

“It’s a huge, huge increase in spending,” he said.

As of 9 a.m. Friday, Borrello said the state Legislature had passed three of about 10 budget bills. He said despite controlling all aspects of New York state government, with Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and majorities in both the Assembly and Senate, the Democrats are in disorder, which is why the budget agreement is happening a week after the April 1 deadline. He added that prior to voting on one of the budget bills, legislators only had 10 minutes to review the proposal.

“They still can’t seem to get out of their own way,” he said.

Borrello said, as of Friday morning, there has been nothing new when it comes to bail reform. He said bail reform is a policy issue and it should be separated from the budget, but it’s the biggest concern facing the state. He added there has been a dramatic spike in crime throughout the state and especially in New York City since bail reform was approved in 2019. Borrello said several state legislative Democrats have spoken out against bail reform, but when amendments to the legislation are proposed, they don’t vote for any of the changes.

“The increases are staggering,” he said about the hike in crime. “This is not Republicans versus Democrats.”

Goodell said the same thing occurs in the Assembly as well. He said part of the problem is the “fundamental distrust” of police and judges by liberal legislators.

Good news in the state budget is a decrease in the state gas tax. Goodell said there was strong bipartisan support for the revenue bill, which included a 16-cent decrease in the state’s gas tax.

Another topic discussed was the new proposed stadium for the Buffalo Bills. Goodell said the state spending plan includes a $600 million subsidy for the one-time capital expense to build the new stadium. When asked if the Bills’ new stadium was one of the issues holding up approval of the state budget, he said “Absolutely.”

Goodell then discussed how it is startling that downstate legislators are hesitant to approve using taxpayer dollars to make sure a professional NFL franchise – with several benefits like high salary players that increases income tax revenues – stays in the Buffalo, but will gladly provide $420 million in tax credits to the Hollywood film industry to make movies in the Empire State instead of California.

When asked if there is any pandemic support in the budget, Goodell said the revenue bill included several programs like small business tax relief, assistance for farmers when it comes to overtime and a child care business tax credit.

While discussing the legalization of recreational marijuana and if there will be a positive revenue impact, Goodell said there won’t be much of a benefit because it will be offset by regulation costs. He said legal dispensaries with taxes on cannabis will only increase the sale of illegal black market marijuana, which will be less expensive.

“Every state that has legalized recreational marijuana has seen an explosion in the black market,” he said before joking that he’s not “high on legalization.”

When discussing the Green Energy Standard, Goodell said there is a problem in the state’s policy between the production and distribution of electricity. He said to meet the state’s promise to sell no more fossil fuel-burning vehicles by 2035, the production of electricity would need to double just to meet what would be required to charge battery-operated vehicles. He added while the state is demanding a hike in electric use, it’s preventing an increase in the production by limiting natural gas turbine generation.

“There is a disconnect between what the state is demanding and what they are allowing,” he said.