Voting has begun in Albany on facets of the next state budget, and two Republican North Country representatives are stocking with their party in the Senate and Assembly.

In the Democrat-controlled Assembly, Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, Republican from Black River, complained of downstate influence on that house's plans.

After voting against the plan in the Assembly, Blankenbush said, “Albany politicians are clearly favoring New York City special interests over our hard-working upstate families. Their budget lacks basic reforms such as a spending cap, government consolidation, and pension reform.

“Their ‘plan’ spends our tax dollars in all the wrong places when we should be focusing on job creation and economic job growth," Blankenbush said. "We must use every tool available to us to spur job growth like offering job creation credits, lower business taxes, reduce energy costs, provide unfunded mandate relief, and remove government red tape, rules, fees and fines. Job growth and economic development is our priority, not any other distracting measure like their anti-Second Amendment microstamping legislation. We can and must do better for our taxpayers.”

Blankenbush represents the 122nd Assembly District, which includes most of St. Lawrence County, not including townships along the St. Lawrence River, Canton or Potsdam.

Sen. Joseph Griffo, part of the Republican majority in the Senate, voted with his party in supporting that body's budget plan, which was approved.

The Senate budget, at just under $132.5 billion, keeps the total state spending increase below two percent, and spends slightly less than the Executive Budget, according to the senator. The budget closes a $2 billion budget deficit and builds on last year’s successes in putting the state’s fiscal house in order, Griffo's statement said.

The plan emphasizes tax cuts and tax credits, mainly for business, and restoration of $200 million in school aid.

“This budget resolution reflects the current fiscal environment,” said Griffo. “It gives us a touchstone as we proceed to getting to a timely and quality budget agreement, as we did last year.”

Griffo, a member of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Economic Development and Tax Policy, noted the Senate's job creation plan that he said would cut taxes on businesses and provide additional aid to schools, more mandate relief for localities, tuition help for middle class families and, for senior citizens, more property tax relief and greater assistance for prescription drug costs.

Griffo, from Rome, represents the 47th Senate District, which includes eastern St. Lawrence County.