New York State’s $156 billion budget was passed at the eleventh hour on March 31, prompting a series of statements from Orange County leaders about the budget making process and its results.
Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C,I-Deerpark) slammed the budget negotiations as “completely exclusive and secretive,” referring to the confidential negotiations between the governor and legislature leaders that lasted well into the night.
“The bills were released to the public mere hours before voting, and virtually all debate was done under cover of darkness,” he said in a statement. “No ethics reform in the budget and the nature of the closed-door process proves Albany isn’t prepared to police itself.”
He did, however, applaud lawmakers for including tax breaks for the middle class (families making between $40,000 and $300,000) starting in 2018, $25 million toward fighting opioid addiction, and farm workforce tax credits.
County Executive Stephen Neuhaus thanked the governor for including $40 million in grants for five New York airports (announced in January), extending for another two years the Hire-A-Vet Credit (also announced in January), and the funding for infrastructure.
“I applaud Governor Cuomo for allocating funds for important infrastructure and transportation projects, including the Pave NY/Bridge NY program, which will receive $800 million over the next four years for state highway, road and bridge repair projects,” Neuhaus said. “Without infrastructure, we don’t have economic development.”
Assemblyman James Skoufis (D-Woodbury) touted the new minimum wage, which for the upstate region would mean an increase from $8 to $12.50 by 2021. This is a compromise from the $15 per hour Governor Cuomo and others were pushing for, and only in New York City will businesses be required to pay a minimum of $15 within three years.
