State Senator George Amedore says a proposed tax from the governor on private health insurers could go to a budget fight.

The dispute is over a 14 percent surcharge for insurers in Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2019 budget proposal. Cuomo's office frames it as a response to federal corporate tax cuts for insurers, which it says is "transferring health care costs to the state."

Amedore spoke Thursday in Kingston, saying small businesses couldn't afford another tax. He wants the state to address the cost of health insurance premiums.

"We believe, I believe, and the Senate believes that this is unnecessary; this will be devastating to the upstate economy; this will be very hard for hard-working men and women who can afford or are trying to afford health insurance," said Amedore (R - Rotterdam).

State legislators are planning to wrap up the budget process by the end of the month.