“There is so much more our state can be doing to help people deal with the rising cost of inflation, and that’s why I was proud to join Leader Barclay and my colleagues today to call for action on our Inflation Relief and Consumer Assistance Plan. I announced this plan last fall and hoped Gov. Hochul would include it in her Executive Budget proposal, but it is not too late for this plan to be part of the final state budget where it belongs. The people of our state need real relief from the rising costs of every day essential goods like gasoline, cleaning products and personal care items. There is room in the budget for our plan, which would only cost $2.6 billion annually. But that savings kept in the pockets of New Yorkers would be immeasurable. New York is one of the only states to tax some of these items, and it’s because of the incessant taxation that so many people decide to move out of state once and for all. Let’s stop the exodus, combat inflation and the monthly increase everyone is experiencing, and help enable our economy to move forward by taking action on this plan now.”