New York Gov. Kathy Hochul rang state budget victory bells inside the state Capitol on Thursday, May 7, but one key lawmaker is saying not so fast.
Hochul, along with state Budget Director Blake Washington and several other state officials, said a $268 billion budget deal has been struck with legislative leaders. But Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie quickly quashed the pomp and circumstance coming from the governor’s office.
“There is no budget deal,” Heastie told reporters after Hochul’s announcement.
“I said to her last night, I was comfortable with her saying to y’all, we were close. It is close,” Heastie added.” But this is what’s wrong with this process … There’s so many open issues on money … We signed off on nothing major.”
Heastie has been increasingly critical of the state budget process this year, previously saying he would be open to exploring a constitutional amendment to change it. His tone on Thursday further confirmed that.
“This is what I’m telling y’all is wrong with this process,” Heastie continued. “And I’m saying this to you very clearly: I am never doing this again.”
The ‘this’ he’s referring to? Discussing the money part of the budget “until the governor’s satisfied on policy.”
Here’s what we know so far.
How much is the total NY state budget cost?
Hochul said the total budget cost as of Thursday is around $268 billion, which was up from the initial roughly $260 billion proposal she released in January. When asked about whether that might change in the coming days, Heastie said he’s unsure.
“Maybe she went a little higher, maybe it’s where she is,” Heastie added. “But even on the policies that she put out there today, some of these things are still incomplete.”
What specifics have been shared?
Not many. Hochul shared the following numbers during her presentation on Thursday:
Hochul also reiterated during the presentation that New York would be setting new restrictions on immigration enforcement — and implementing a mask ban for law enforcement. She also noted the budget would include her plans for reducing auto insurance costs, providing universal child care and easing environmental rules to speed development.
But other items still open-ended include Tier 6 state pension system reforms, healthcare specifics and what the pied-á-terre tax on New York City second homes will look like.
Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra commended Heastie for “standing up for the Legislature” and said Hochul again showed “her failed leadership” with Thursday’s budget announcement.
“You got nothing done,” Ra continued. “There’s no bills. So you’ve got nothing done other than talk. And that is how this state has been run for the last, certainly five years under this governor, but the last eight years under single party rule is a lot of talk, a lot of talk about affordability, but New Yorkers aren’t seeing it. And hopefully they’re not buying it anymore.”
What’s next?
It’s all a bit unclear. The Senate and Assembly met today to pass another extender to keep the state government open while they continue to parse through policy issues and numbers nearly 40 days after the April 1 deadline.
When asked about a voting and bill passage timeline, Hochul started by saying a couple days and ended at “within a week.” Heastie is also unsure, saying it could be next week or after next week.
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers’ taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY leaders clash over $268B budget. Is there a deal, or no deal?
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York State Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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