CityAndStateNY.com
January 24, 2022
“We want criminals certainly brought to justice, but we certainly don’t want to criminalize poverty. That’s why we did the bail reform.”
The governor unveiled her first executive budget last week. It was the largest in state history, making use of a windfall of federal aid.
HOCHUL’S FIRST BUDGET
Gov. Kathy Hochul has said many things in recent months about what she wants to get done in the upcoming year. Now she has to translate that into hard numbers and legislative language that can pass the state
Legislature before the April 1 state budget deadline. Her Jan. 18 budget speech was a key step in that process. The budget process will be a test for Hochul as she runs for a full term in office. She has built her political brand on avoiding conflict with local officials
– state Senate Majority Leader Andrea StewartCousins, via the Times Union
and state legislators alike, but the give and take of budget negotiations will likely lead to conflict, though the state constitution gives the governor enormous power to pass a spending plan over the objections of the state Senate and Assembly.
BETTING ON NEW YORK Nothing says high roller like a $216 billion budget, so it makes sense that wedged into Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive spending proposal is a move to fast-track casinos for New York City. Hochul wants to open up a request for proposals for three new casinos and put an early end to a moratorium on building them in the city. Something has to bankroll that record-breaking budget, after all.
“I was not good with groundhogs at all. Probably shouldn’t have gone to the gym.” – Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, announcing he is not planning to run for governor after all
“As I said since I took office 147 days ago, my top priority is to confront this pandemic head on and to save lives, protect the health of New Yorkers and protect the health of our economy,” Hochul said in her budget address. “We also must pass a bold agenda that’ll do more than just help us recover from this crisis. We need to embrace this moment of possibility and use it to redefine New York’s destiny.” Hochul’s proposed budget of $216.3 billion is notable because it is several billion dollars higher than the $212 billion budget approved last year – and more than $20 billion higher than the budget her predecessor unveiled one year ago. The governor is proposing the state devote $118.8 billion to operating funds, $95.5 billion to the general fund and $18.6 billion more to the state capital budget for public works. Her budget projects spending growth of 3.1% in fiscal year 2021 and a balanced budget through 2027. Other budget highlights included $31.2 billion for school aid, including a $1.6 billion increase in Foundation Aid, as well as $2.2 billion for property tax relief, $2 billion for pandemic recovery and $1.2 billion for bonuses for front-line medical workers. Two advantages for Hochul this fiscal cycle are the billions of dollars in federal funding and unexpectedly high tax
MIKE GROLL/OFFICE OF GOV. KATHY HOCHUL; OFFICE OF FORMER GOV. ANDREW CUOMO; ED REED/MAYORAL PHOTOGRAPHY OFFICE; DARREN MCGEE/OFFICE OF GOV. KATHY HOCHUL
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