Steve Mclaughlin, one of the eight Assemblymen who voted against Governor Cuomo’s tax plan, outlined his opposition in a posting on Facebook (META). “This bill was a shell game that changed nothing, cut no spending, and increased taxes,” Assemblyman McLaughlin wrote.
On Facebook, Assemblyman McLaughlin, who represents the 108th District in the Capitol Region, said the plan accomplished nothing and blasted the closed door, rapid-fire nature of the negotiations between Governor Cuomo, Senator Skelos and Speaker Silver.
“Any time Albany rushes something through on a message of necessity, it isn’t good,” Assemblyman McLaughlin wrote. “Why would changing the tax code for 19 million people need to be done in a rush with no consideration or debate? Because the three men in a room knew this was a bill that achieved next to nothing.”
Governor Cuomo’s tax plan passed December 8 with unanimous support in the State Senate and 132 assenting votes in the Assembly. The governor introduced his bill and shored up support from Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in a matter of days before many legislators had an opportunity to see the plan. The governor’s tax plan included cuts for all but the richest New Yorkers, who make over $2 million per year, and he managed to obtain support from politicians on both sides of the aisle. Even insiders who expressed unhappiness with the plan hailed it as a masterpiece of political maneuvering.
Assemblyman McLaughlin’s critique came in a comment posted on a discussion of the tax plan on the Facebook page Assemblyman Steve Katz’s wife, Nicole Katz. Ms. Katz’s Facebook page has been quite a hotbed of political activity of late. As of this writing, Assemblyman McLaughlin has not responded to The Politicker’s request for comment on this story.
