Chiaravalloti & McKnight Urge Colleagues to Put Horizon Fight Aside and Support FY 2018 Budget

(TRENTON) – Assembly Democrats Nicholas Chiaravalloti and Angela McKnight (both D-Hudson) offered their support Thursday for the FY 2018 budget and Speaker Prieto’s decision not to use it as leverage for a Horizon overhaul.

          “Supporting this budget is an easy decision because it places a high priority on the progressive values we hold dear by supporting programs that care for the elderly, the disenfranchised and the vulnerable.  As a Democrat, this should be a no-brainer.  I urge all of my colleagues to join us and put aside distractions in order to focus on what we were constitutionally elected to do by tomorrow.  Any attempts to overhaul an insurer that provides coverage to nearly half the people of this state should be done in the light of day and not in a rushed manner as a budget bargaining chip,” said Chiaravalloti. 

          “Expanded pre-school, better special education, support for domestic violence victims – these are just some of the things near to my heart that make me proud to offer my support for this year’s appropriations act.  I cannot, in good conscience, let a rushed, last-minute attempt to remake Horizon stand in the way of this budget’s passage.  As a party, we should not let these priorities be held hostage by the attempt to remake Horizon in the way the Governor sees fit.  Now is not the time or the place,” said McKnight.