ALBANY (AP) -- The New York Senate has passed a resolution against delaying income tax refunds as a way to ease the state's financial pinch.
The measure Democrats and Republicans adopted by voice vote Tuesday follows Gov. David Paterson's suggestion to lower the cap on income-tax refunds paid out before March 31 from $1.75 billion to $1.25 billion. Budget officials say some refunds would be delayed by up to three weeks.
Paterson says the state may need the delays to pay its bills.
Sen. Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat, says normal refund processing takes 45 days, that money belongs to taxpayers and it's unacceptable for the state to keep it longer. She says the nonbinding Senate measure is meant to build support and persuade Paterson.
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