While three of the four state legislators representing St. Lawrence County approve of the tax package approved in Albany early Wednesday, they praise the “middle-class tax cut” provision but don’t mention the increased tax on wealthy New Yorkers.

The plan raises taxes with a surcharge on New Yorkers making more than $2 million a year and lowers taxes on those making between $20,000 and $200,000 (single filers) or $40,000 to $300,000 (joint filers). Other tax brackets are unchanged.

The state Senate approved the plan 55-0, and the Assembly passed it with a vote of 130-8.

After the votes, legislators issued statements on their thoughts about the new plan.

48th District Sen. Patty Ritchie (R-Heuvelton) sais the plan will be “putting millions of dollars back into the local economy and helping small businesses create jobs.

“I think New Yorkers are taxed enough, and I was glad to support this sweeping tax cut that will benefit tens of thousands of hardworking, middle class men and women in my district and across New York State by letting them keep more money in their pockets, to use as they want,” Ritchie said.

Highlighting what she calls “The Middle Class Tax Cut plan” a release from Ritchie’s office says “it will directly benefit 4.4 million New Yorkers—saving them a total of $690 million next year—and doesn’t raise taxes on even a single person...The Middle Class Tax Cut is part of a sweeping overhaul of New York’s tax code—the first in more than 50 years—that revises tax brackets, eliminates ‘bracket creep,’ and lowers tax rates across the board,” the news release said.

The announcement said the plan “aims to boost the state’s economy and help businesses create jobs. The plan was endorsed by the state’s leading employer groups, including small business-led NFIB, the Business Council of NYS and Unshackle Upstate, a low-tax group.”

Other features of the plan, accoridng to Ritchie, are a 50 percent cut in corporate taxes paid by upstate manufacturers, exemptions for private and parochial schools from a payroll tax, and establishment of a $1 billion non-taxpayer-funded “infrastructure investment fund” to undertake an aggressive campaign of public works projects across the state, in part to address an alarming increase in deficient roads and bridges; .

Assemblywoman Addie Russell (D-Theresa), representing the 118th Assembly District, said the measure creates a “more fair and equitable structure, meaning tax cuts for nearly everyone in the North Country and provisions focused on creating thousands of jobs across the state. The legislation reduces tax rates for nearly 4.4 million New Yorkers and for small businesses. The bill also encourages corporate manufacturers to hire new employees. The increase in revenue resulting from the reformed tax code – $2 billion for each of the next three years – will provide a significant amount of money to the state, enough to relieve some of the pressure from the state budget.”

The bill includes a New York State Works agenda, “a provision for job creation through an infrastructure fund,” Russell said.

She said it “invests in conducting energy retrofits for homes, farms, businesses and schools, as well as pushing forward major SUNY projects. The legislation also designates tax credits to businesses that hire jobless young adults. Funds will also be allocated for job-training programs and can be used to support programs at local school districts and BOCES.”

She said the tax plan’s “additional revenue stream will allow us to focus our advocacy on important issues facing our communities; instead of our time being dominated by more crippling budget cuts.”

But more budget cuts are what Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R-Black River) would like to see.

“While the middle-income tax cuts are a nice boost for many North Country families, I am concerned that New York still has not learned how to control its spending,” Blankenbush said. “Now we need to go a step further, and make a serious effort to reform and reduce spending so that we can begin to permanently lower taxes.

“Legislators need to cap New York’s outrageous spending and enact unfunded mandate relief for our schools and local governments. Removing New York’s dependency on high taxes will benefit everyone from families, farms, small businesses and manufacturers,” the 122nd District assemblyman said.

47th District Sen. Joe Griffo has apparently not issued a statement to the press.