The New York state Legislature on Thursday passed a fourth state budget extension — now more than two weeks past the budget’s deadline — which was sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her signature.
The extender runs through April 20 and ensures the state can cover essential expenses and make payroll deadlines. The budget was due April 1.
Differences between the governor and state legislative leaders continue, though state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told Spectrum News 1 in recent days that he felt conversations were moving along on multiple fronts.
Still, there are frustrations among some members about the slow process. Some members of the Assembly on Wednesday held a press conference voicing their concerns over what they call Hochul’s “executive overreach in the budget process.” In the other chamber, state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris earlier this week criticized the governor for being unwilling to compromise on some of her policy proposals.
Frustration has also been made clear by the Republican minority.
“What’s been a dysfunctional, secretive and unproductive effort appears to only be getting worse. More than two weeks past the April 1 deadline, Gov. Hochul is just now introducing a new tax that was never part of the executive or one-house budget proposals,” state Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra said in a partial statement Thursday, referring to Wednesday’s proposal by Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that will add a new tax on luxury second homes in New York City in an effort to reduce part of the city’s budget gap.
Major differences on the governor’s proposal to reform the state’s car insurance laws and dial back the 2019 climate law remain key sticking points, as well as differences over raising taxes on the wealthy, school aid and Tier 6 pension reform.