ALBANY – It looks like New York State may once again see an on-time budget. Yesterday, the State Senate and Assembly passed their respective budget resolution. and lawmakers are optimistic the two sides can come to an agreement by the end of this month.
- Assembly Budget Proposal (Courtesy of the Capital Confidential blog)
- Senate Budget Proposal (Courtesy of the Capital Confidential blog)
Senator Catherine Young (R-Olean)
Senator Cathy Young says the republican controlled Senate spending plan features initiatives to achieve job creation and economic growth, tax relief, Medicaid Reform, and school aid restoration. The Olean republican said during last week’s County Chamber Legislative Breakfast that Tier VI Pension Reform is included in the Senate plan and she thinks that some version of pension reform will go into effect eventually – maybe even next budget year.
In a statement released yesterday, Senator young also said the Senate budget plan also keeps spending growth under two percent and is less than what was proposed in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $132.5 billion budget proposal.
Highlights of the Senate bill include cutting taxes for small businesses and providing new incentives to create jobs, accelerating the governor’s proposal to freeze counties’ contribution to Medicaid expenses by one year, Rejecting the governor’s proposal to set aside $250 million for competitive grants to schools and restoring $200 million of that amount to general education aid, and rejecting mandates and cost-shifts to local governments.
This week, Joint-Conference Committees between the two houses will begin to negotiate the final budget, which is expected to pass on or before the deadline of April 1.
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