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.
With just hours to go before the Passover holiday, the budget remained stuck over one or two key issues.
One, say Assembly Democrats, was a demand from the lone Democratic senator who sits with Republican Senate majority. Senator Simcha Felder wanted religious yeshiva schools to be exempt from some curriculum rules imposed by the state education department.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says he and Governor Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, rejected that request, and they offered the Senate Republicans a stark ultimatum. Pass the majority of the budget already agreed to, or go home.
“Or it will be up to the Senate Republicans to shut down government,” Heastie said.
Senator Felder denies that he’s the one holding up the budget. And making a reference to the two looming holidays, says that he really doesn’t have that much influence.
“I’m not Moses, I’m not Jesus,” said Felder, who told reporters it’s not true that he’s that powerful.
“If you don't believe me, ask my wife," said Felder.
Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco counters that it’s the Assembly that’s holding up the budget, because Democratic members, including Speaker Heastie, want a pay raise commission.
“There’s other issue that he wants, sort of like pay raise that he’s lusting over,” said DeFrancisco. “So we’ll see how firm his take it or leave it is.”
Legislators haven't had a pay raise in almost 20 years.
Lawmakers did pass some of the budget bills mid-day Friday. One measure sets up new anti-sexual harassment policies for New York’s public and private businesses.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Cathy Young says she was involved in the talks. She calls it a “victory” for all New Yorkers.
“It actual holds individuals who work for state government accountable if they are found guilty of sexual harassment,” said Young, who said independent contractors will also be covered under the measure.
But some Senate Democrats say the measure doesn’t go far enough. Senator Liz Krueger says the new policies might even take away some existing rights for workers. And she wishes that lawmakers designing the new rules had listened more closely to victims first.
“We need to fix these problems,” Krueger said. “I just don’t know that we have accomplished the goals in the context of this set of bills.”
By late afternoon, the standoff on the final budget bill continued.
