Assemblyman Steve Labriola recently blasted Assembly Democrats for blocking a budget reform package that would end the state's 18 years of late budgets.

"We have collected over 20,000 signatures from our statewide petition drive in favor of budget reform, and on Monday, May 6, attempted to bring to the floor a package of reform bills," said Labriola. "How truly unfortunate for all New Yorkers that the Democrats blocked these amendments, not even allowing them to go to the floor for a vote."

The package included several measures that had Assembly Democrat sponsors, but have never been acted on in the house. The bills include:

* S.535A - A constitutional amendment that requires the executive budget becomes law on April 1, if a new budget is not passed prior to this date. This bill is sponsored in the assembly by Assemblyman William Parment (D-Jamestown) and passed the Senate 42-18.

* S.6 - A constitutional amendment that requires the previous year's budget continues as law if the legislature fails to adopt a new one by the start of the new fiscal year. The bill also seeks to accelerate the budget process and requires binding revenue forecasts by the comptroller in the absence of legislative agreement. The bill is sponsored in the assembly by Assemblyman Jay Dinga (R-Binghamton) and passed the senate 42-18.

* S.28l7 - Establishes an accelerated budget schedule, requires the use of budget conference committees, and requires a final budget be in place by April 1. Sponsored in the assembly by Assemblyman Dinga, the measure passed the senate 46-14.

* S.339 - Calls for the budget of the previous fiscal year to be enacted if an entire new budget is not adopted by April 1. This bill is sponsored in the assembly by Assembly member Sandra Galef (D-Westchester) and passed the Senate 45-15.

* S.7 - Would move the start of the state fiscal year to May 1, require joint revenue forecasts and formalize the budget conference committee process. The senate approved the measure 57.3.

* S.834 - Provided for the governor's proposed budget to be implemented if a new budget is not passed by March 15. The senate passed the bill 44-16.

* S.1585 - Calls for the convening of Consensus Revenue Forecasting Conference in February, requires joint budget conference committees, and requires a two-thirds vote of both houses to approve any tax increases of $50 million or more. The senate passed the bill 58.2.

* S-6624 - Changes the state of the state fiscal year from April 1 to May 1. The senate passed the bill 58-2.

* S.6623A - A constitutional amendment that would put in place the governor's proposed budget if a new budget is not enacted by the deadline. The senate passed the bill 43-17.

According to Labriola, Assembly Republicans already have offered a package of four budget-reform proposals, including S.6181/A.9592, sponsored by Assembly member Galef, which provides for the implementation of a "current services" budget if a new budget is not adopted by the start of the fiscal year. The bills, offered as amendments, were defeated.

"It is a sad fact that the Democrat Majority stood in the way of real reform," said Labriola. "It is clear, after what happened on Monday, where the anti-reformers remain determined to reject common sense reforms and stick to procedures that have failed for 18 years. I urge you to ask the Long Island Democrats why they voted against these reforms. Let them answer to school board members and property taxpayers, but the numbers are so skewed they cause fiscal hardship. The senate wants to fix this corrupted system; the Democrats in the assembly could have, but chose to ignore what the people want - an on-time budget!"