A New York State Assemblyman from the Hudson Valley has an idea about how to restore funding for not-for-profit programs for people with developmental disabilities. He admits there is some resistance to his plan, but insists opponents don’t see the big picture.
Several lawmakers have been searching for ways to restore $90 million in funding to the non-profits supported by the state Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, funding that was cut in the recently-passed 2013-2014 state budget. Republican Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor, who represents portions of Dutchess County, introduced a bill Tuesday to take the $90 million from the $420 million allotted in the budget for New York film production tax credits.
He points out that the $420 million in state tax credits includes one dubbed the “Jimmy Fallon tax credit,” referring to tax credits headed for producing “The Tonight Show,” which will move to New York from California when Fallon takes over from Jay Leno. And there’s an older New York-based show Lalor mentions.
Here’s Democratic Assemblyman from Westchester County Thomas Abinanti.
He says there should be an analysis of whether the film production tax credit is money well spent before pulling funds from the $420 million.
Lalor says, so far, has support from one upstate Democrat, and sees resistance from downstate Democratic lawmakers whose districts are home to film and television productions.
So far, he says there is no parallel movement in the Senate.