NYS Legislature OKs 8th funding extender as state budget talks continue
The New York State Capitol in Albany in 2019. Lawmakers approved the governor's eighth emergency spending bill on Thursday. Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
ALBANY — The State Legislature on Thursday approved Gov. Kathy Hochul’s eighth emergency spending bill to keep the state running as negotiations continue for a budget deal that was due by April 1.
The extension of spending at the level of the expired 2024-25 state budget is putting local school districts in a bind, several legislators said. School districts need to complete their own budgets now, without knowing how much more state aid they will receive. Districts have strict deadlines under state law to finalize their budget before public hearings leading to statewide school budget voting May 20.
“What should we tell our school districts at this point?” asked State Sen. Thomas O’Mara (R-Elmira) in a brief floor debate before the extender was approved.
State Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) said she'd hoped the governor would have provided an estimate to school districts about how much the legislature will add to Hochul’s school aid proposal from January. But that didn’t happen.
“I would personally say, ‘Let’s take the most conservative estimate that we know we have, which is the governor’s executive budget proposal.’ ” She said the additional aid ultimately secured in closed-door budget negotiations could then be used to “enrich budgets.”
A Hochul spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
State Sen. Pamela Helming (R-Canandaigua) said that under Hochul’s proposal, many of her school districts would only receive a 2% increase in state aid at a time that payroll, health and other costs have far exceeded that level.
“That 2% is not sufficient,” Helming said.
Hochul proposed an $825 million, or 2.4%, increase in school aid. The Assembly proposes $2.7 billion more than current funding and the Senate proposes increasing spending on schools by more than $1 billion, to above $34 billion.
Several legislators said they hope to get a deal soon that will allow massive budget bills to be voted on next week.
The Senate and Assembly on Thursday approved Hochul’s measure to appropriate $1.6 billion to keep the state running until Tuesday, when legislators expect to vote on another extender. Since the April 1 start of the fiscal year, Hochul and the legislature have authorized $11.3 billion in emergency spending.
“It’s time to show some results,” said Assemb. Ed Ra (R-Garden City South).
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
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