The New York State Senate has passed its One-House Budget Resolution. Local state senators see both wins in the resolution, and work that still needs to be done.
One concern Republican State Senator Pat Gallivan has is the New York HEAT Act that would cap utility bills at 6% of income for low- and moderate-income households, which he fears would increase the burden on other taxpayers. The push to go all-electric is concerning for what it could do to prices and supply, Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent support for multiple energy sources, like nuclear and hydrogen, is reassuring, Gallivan said.
“Our electric grid does not have the capacity for that; it doesn't even come close," he said. "They don't have the definite way to go about it, nor do they have definite costs other than to articulate that that it will cost hundreds of billions of dollars.”
On the topic of affordability, Democratic State Senator April Baskin says one aspect she is most proud of from the One-House resolution is the Working Families Tax Credit, which would increase how much money families with children receive back after taxes.
“When you think about families who are raising children, whether they are a working-class family or family dealing with extreme poverty, you know this, this proposal from the Senate in our One-House is something that I'm particularly very proud of,” Baskin said.
Under the proposal, families would receive $550 back per child in first tax year, increasing annually until $1,600 per child the fifth year and continuing at that level.
The One-House Senate Bill is an amended budget proposal, where state senators can vote to increase, decrease, or add and remove to the governor's own proposed budget.
The final budget must be passed by April 1.
