New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says Governor Kathy Hochul’s first budget proposal carries a “significantly improved outlook over last year,” but risks related to the pandemic remain. DiNapoli, a fellow Democrat, issued his review of the $216 billion executive budget proposal Tuesday.
DiNapoli warns the budget proposes billions in spending that would “bypass critical oversight if enacted,” but says the state is on solid fiscal footing thanks to unprecedented federal aid and tax collections that are more than $10 billion higher than expected. But DiNapoli says the state should be setting aside more money in reserve funds to prepare for the “next inevitable downturn.”
The budget must be finalized by April 1. DiNapoli spoke with WAMC Tuesday.