State lawmakers are reacting to New York Governor Kathy Hochul's $252 billion dollar budget proposal.
"This budget is laser focused on putting money back in New Yorkers pockets," Hochul said.
In line with her "Affordability Agenda," Hochul's spending plan unveiled Tuesday includes increases in Medicaid and in school aid, restricting cellphones in schools, tax rebate checks, a rise in the child tax credit, and no new tax increases.
107th district Republican Assemblymember Scott Bendett says $4.3 billion directed toward the migrant crisis is discouraging.
"Literally, since I've taken office, the budget has increased over $20 billion," Bendett said. "And, when you think about a budget, whether it's for your own personal financial plan, whether it's for a business, or whether it's for the state of New York, a budget is about priorities, and the governor has clearly stated that her priorities are not within the citizens of the great state of New York, but again, our priorities are migrant services, and us taking money out of our reserves to pay for migrants, and us to spend all this money while our veterans are suffering, while our you know schools are suffering."
46th district Democratic Senator Pat Fahy says she is pleased with the governor's move to restrict cell phones in classrooms, direct more dollars to Medicaid, education and funding for the city of Albany, and highlight public safety issues.
"I will say the one hesitation I have is a $3 billion rebate check including $300 to $500 per individual for those making up to $300,000 a year. I'm gonna be looking for stronger investments elsewhere, particularly in housing, particularly in our roads and seeing where we might help first-time homebuyers as well with those with rental voucher needs, so I think there's more that can be done there than a what doesn't appear to be a very targeted rebate," Fahy said.
44th district Republican Senator Jim Tedisco claims the budget robs Peter to pay Paul.
"Because she'll be increasing what we're looking, as a lot of tolls and the other taxes and other ways which are defined as other things but [are] taxes. So that's a real concern. So we still haven't, as I've said 'the devil's in the details,' we have to look where this revenue is come from. But it's close to I think that 7% or 8% increase in spending once again, so they're not raining and they're not looking at spending priorities,” said Tedisco, who added he is pleased that the governor included his “Child Survivor Privacy Act” to enhance protections for child crime victims in her budget.
Hochul's applying a $5.3 billion surplus to help offset an increase in Medicaid spending does not sit well with Republican State Senator Jake Ashby of the 43rd District.
"I don't understand where the governor is going with this. Instead of finding efficiency and cracking down on waste, she's proposing a 14% spending increase. And this is a continuous problem where we're wanting to spend more and more on government with fewer and fewer people here. How are we going to get the revenue that demands the spending? It just doesn't, it doesn't add up," Ashby said.
110th district Democratic Assemblymember Phil Steck says there's much to digest and discuss.
"The $300 inflation refund, I think generally, my constituents regard that as a gimmick," said Steck. "There are probably a lot of other mechanisms that could be used to address inflation, such as a windfall profits tax. Mention of the tax cut for the middle class always sounds good, but was notably absent from the budget was what that percentage is going to be. So if you cut taxes, income taxes by 1/10 of 1% you can say you cut taxes. And how meaningful is that really? So we have to wait and see what the actual percentage is."
The legislature will review the governor's budget before Hochul and Senate and Assembly leaders iron out a final document due April 1st.
