New York Legislature Overrides Gov. Pataki’s Vetoes of 119 Pieces of Legislation, Including HIV/AIDS Spending Measures

As expected, the New York Legislature yesterday overrode all of Gov. George Pataki's (R) vetoes of 119 pieces of tax and spending legislation, the New York Times reports (Baker, New York Times, 5/16). Pataki on Wednesday vetoed the legislation, including legislation that would have allocated more than $30 million to HIV/AIDS programs. Nine of Pataki's vetoes affected HIV/AIDS programs. Pataki vetoed $25.7 million in funds for cost-of-living adjustments for more than 60,000 elderly, blind and disabled people, including AIDS patients, who receive supplemental security income from the government. In addition, the governor vetoed restored funding for community-based AIDS services and funding to combat the disease in minority communities throughout the state, among other HIV/AIDS programs (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/15). The Legislature's move was an "unprecedented slap" at Pataki, according to the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin. "We now have a budget," Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R) said, adding, "We have done the critical things that meet the needs of the people of this state." Following the legislative overrides, Pataki continued to criticize the overall legislative package, calling it the largest tax increase in the state's history, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin. "Every single New Yorker will be paying higher taxes," Pataki said, adding, "This plan puts deficits in front of us instead of behind us" (Gallagher/Nogas, Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, 5/16).