New York State Budget

Now that the state budget is passed, school boards across New York have a better idea of what to expect in school aid as they work on budget plans that will go before the voters next month. The executive director of the New York State School Boards Association, Tim Kremer, says the $859 million increase in state aid to schools included in the new budget is less than what is needed to maintain current programs. 

The newly approved New York state budget includes a work around for the partial loss of state and local tax deductions in the federal tax overhaul.

Governor Andrew Cuomo detailed the fiscal year 2019 state budget bill in a Friday night press conference. The Democrat called it a "Herculean task" to get the budget done before lawmakers headed home before the holiday weekend.

Majority Leader John Flanagan, a Republican, released a statement after the budget passed the Senate  before midnight Friday.

New York state budget talks became heated in the final hours of negotiations Friday, as ultimatums were offered and there were threats of a government shutdown.

State lawmakers continue to try to work out a budget agreement in New York. They need to finish by midday today so legislators and staff can get home for the Passover and Easter holidays. However, some major issues related to the spending plan are still not resolved.

Budget talks are stalled one day before a self-imposed deadline of March 30 set by Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York state legislature. Meanwhile, groups left out of the deal are expressing their dismay.

It’s just over a week until the New York state budget is due, and there are no resolutions on an array of proposed new taxes and spending proposals, as well as several unrelated items that are tied to the budget.

On Thursday, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo will detail his proposals to help New Yorkers affected by changes to the federal tax law. But Republicans who rule the State Senate are cool to the ideas, including one that creates a payroll tax instead of a state income tax.

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget director says 30-day amendments to the Democrat’s spending plan due out later this week will include an overhaul of New York state’s tax code. It will include plans to ease the effects of the loss of the state and local tax deductions in the new federal tax overhaul.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released his $168 billion budget proposal Tuesday. His rationale for a good part of the spending plan focused on combating the new federal tax legislation. Reaction to the proposal is mixed.

The deputy leader of the New York state Senate says 2018 will be a difficult year for balancing the state budget.  Senator John DeFrancisco predicts cutbacks in healthcare spending to help close a multi-billion dollar deficit.

One of the biggest challenges that Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York state lawmakers will face in 2018 is balancing the state’s budget, which already has structural deficit of more than $4 billion. On top of that, federal changes to taxes and health care could cost the state billions more in lost funding.

Two reports issued in recent days indicate that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo may be facing his most difficult budget in seven years. The midyear financial report by the governor’s budget office has lowered revenue estimates by $850 million for the current budget year and the next two years. And it finds that next year’s projected deficit is now at $4.4 billion , if spending growth continues unchecked.

After years of efforts, ride-sharing advocates are celebrating in New York this week. The latest state budget deal paves the way for companies like Uber and Lyft to operate upstate.  

Governor Cuomo and New York State lawmakers missed the budget deadline. With the midnight deadline just over two hours away, they had so far failed to solidify deals on state spending and taxation, as well as some unrelated items like permitting ride hailing services outside of New York City.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo briefed the media on his budget proposal Tuesday night. This morning, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul appeared at the Glens Falls Civic Center to explain to local officials what it means for their region.

After several years of budget surpluses, New York State tax revenue is coming in at a lower-than-expected rate. That could affect big-ticket programs like school aid and health care as well as a multi-year tax cut planned by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislators.

A quirk in the newly enacted minimum wage increase could mean that in upstate New York by the early 2020s,   fast food workers could  be paid significantly more than other low wage jobs, like being a home healthcare worker or a cashier in a grocery store.

The new state budget has been in place for nearly a week, but little attention has been paid to many of the items that are in it. A government reform group says that’s by design.

New York's newly signed spending plan increases education aid by nearly $1.5 billion and increases Foundation Aid by a record $627 million.

State lawmakers in Albany went down to the wire on meeting the state budget deadline Thursday. A phased-in minimum wage hike and paid family leave are among the highlights of the $150 billion spending plan.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the minimum wage increase now under discussion with the legislature will include a pause after three years, to reassess the health of the state’s economy. 

 Governor Cuomo and Legislative leaders said they hoped to have final agreements on the state budget by evening, and could possibly print bills Tuesday night, to begin voting on Thursday. But by late Tuesday afternoon they were still working on reaching final agreements.  

Senate Republicans say their version of the state budget will include a 9 year phase of tax cuts that would eventually total a 25 percent reduction for middle class taxpayers.

  Governor Cuomo says he’ll increase funding to environmental projects as well as state parks, in his 2016 budget. The news was applauded by environmentalists, as well as some business leaders.

New York’s 2015-2016 budget includes a $1.6 billion increase in education aid over last year. WAMC’s Allison Dunne tells us about how a few Hudson Valley school districts will benefit.