"We don't succeed unless you do," said Senator Craig Johnson at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast, "because 88 percent of the economy is driven by small business. Your product helps schools, your taxes bolster the economic development office and the incubators across New York State."

He quickly segued into a discussion about the governor's commission on property tax relief chaired by Thomas Suozzi that is holding hearings around the state. Senator Johnson said, "This is a conversation we must have because some people are being taxed out of their homes...Some want to impose a cap now, but we need to find a balance. We don't want to have a negative impact on education. I have 5 Intel finalists from my district alone." He referred to the workmen's compensation reforms that have been hammered out in Albany saying, "It took delicate negotiations to find a balance that would protect business owners and workers...we need to strike the same kind of balance with property taxes. We can't sacrifice kids, families and businesses."

After the meeting, Senator Johnson told the Record that he would never be able to support a cap on education unless there was an opt-out clause for communities such as Great Neck where the commitment to education is strong.

Senator Johnson calls the current situation a "crisis" with a New York State deficit of $4.8 billion, fueled by the subprime lending fiasco and the resulting write-offs and with gas projected to hit $4 a gallon by spring. He said that the governor's proposed budget is devastating to education, but that he is committed to make sure that our schools have the same funding they had last year. (Great Neck receives 4.58 percent of its budget from NYS. Next year, the cut slated is for $500,000 which would take the state share down to 3.84 percent of the budget.)

Acknowledging the imbalance between the monies paid into New York State and the amount we get back, he said, "This has been going on for years...Albany thinks the streets are paved with gold on Long Island...We need to change the formula."

He went on to add, "We need to learn to do more with less" pointing out that consolidating business efforts, sharing services and back office costs needs more exploration. He noted that Wheatley and Carle Place schools have combined their football teams in a joint goal to save money.

A question was raised about whether gaming could generate more revenue for New York State. The senator sits on the Gaming and Racing Committee of the Senate. He recently voted against a new franchise agreement for the New York Racing Association because it included no financial benefit for Elmont and Floral Park and it did not include an advisory board for Belmont, although it did include such an advisory board for Saratoga and Aqueduct. He has proposed a new bill, which would address the "deficiencies" in the original legislation. At the meeting he said, "Elmont is desperate for an infusion of money into the community."