Source: Politics<\/p>\n
With help from Shawn Ness<\/p>\n
Both houses of the state Legislature approved their one-house budget proposals this afternoon, setting the stage for final talks with Gov. Kathy Hochul over the spending plan that\u2019s due March 31.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s debates also gave Republicans a chance to formally weigh in on the plans the Democratic supermajorities released earlier in the week<\/a>. And they issued a unanimous verdict: Democrats are addicted to spending.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been consistently ranked as one of the worst tax climates in the country,\u201d said Assemblymember Ed Ra, the top Republican on the Ways and Means Committee. \u201cWe\u2019re here again with \u2018temporary\u2019 tax increases, as we call them, but very rarely are they temporary.\u201d<\/p>\n The tab for the Assembly and Senate budget plans both near $246 billion. That\u2019s more than $13 billion over what Hochul proposed in January.<\/p>\n The increase comes in part to a billion dollar adjustment in revenue projections and a hoped-for $4 billion waiver<\/a> for more federal Medicaid money. But it\u2019s also made possible thanks to proposed increased taxes on high-earning individuals and corporations.<\/p>\n Republicans noted that the price tag the Legislature is seeking would lead to a $75 billion increase in total spending since Democrats assumed one-party control of the state in 2019. That increase in the course of six years is more than the total annual budget for 37 states.<\/p>\n \u201cIf spending money made New York more affordable, we\u2019d be the most affordable state in the country,\u201d Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said. \u201cIn fact, we\u2019re the least affordable state in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n Democrats hit back on Republican attacks, particularly accusations that the budget would further increase New York\u2019s outmigration.<\/p>\n Manhattan state Sen. Cordell Cleare said during the floor debate that the number one reason she has heard from neighbors \u201cwho have had to leave the city\u201d is that \u201crents are too high.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to create affordable housing. And I\u2019m very proud of what was put into this one-house to create that,\u201d Cleare said, referencing Democratic plans to jumpstart stalled talks<\/a> on a housing policy.<\/p>\n Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger said her house\u2019s proposal was the best she\u2019s seen in her 23 sessions in the Legislature thanks to how it deals with topics like clean energy, higher taxes on the ultrawealthy and education funding.<\/p>\n \u201cI know some of my colleagues think we\u2019re making all of the wrong decisions and it\u2019s not true,\u201d Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat, said. During Republican control of the Senate, the Legislature would \u201cborrow, borrow, borrow, because we didn\u2019t want to tax and spend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now, yeah, we do some taxes,\u201d Krueger said. \u201cMinimal, on those who can afford it. But we\u2019re not borrowing to balance our budget. We have a plan for a balanced budget. And there are really important things in that budget for every part of the state.\u201d<\/p>\n Lawmakers then left for the week, to return Monday for another four-day session week as the budget deadline nears. \u2014 Bill Mahoney<\/p>\n SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: After the Senate and Assembly released their one-house budgets on Monday, the Empire State Local News Coalition applauded the inclusion of the \u201cLocal Journalism Sustainability Act<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, would provide tax credits to local news outlets that employ local journalists. Local organizations would receive a 50 percent tax credit against the first $50,000 of each employee’s salary. The credit is capped at $200,000 per outlet.<\/p>\n \u201cOur coalition\u2019s unprecedented mobilization of more than 150 New York local news outlets in just a few months sent a clear message to Albany: it\u2019s time to support local journalism,\u201d Zachary Richner, one of the group\u2019s founders, said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cCommunities across our state are speaking up about the indispensable role of local news in safeguarding democracy and strengthening social ties amid a time of unprecedented crisis for the news industry,\u201d<\/p>\n Since 2005, 2,500 newspapers<\/a> across the country have closed. Over 40 percent<\/a> of all newspapers in New York have closed since 2004.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Local Journalism Sustainability Act will incentivize the hiring of journalists and ensure that New Yorkers have access to the quality, independent local news they deserve,\u201d Richner added.<\/p>\n Supporters have tried for years to get similar measures approved, but to no avail. It\u2019s unclear whether it\u2019ll change this year. \u2014 Shawn Ness<\/p>\n CASH CRUNCH: The city\u2019s Department of Investigation plans to probe the NYPD\u2019s use of surveillance technology, the use of parking placards (which are wantonly abused by public servants and others) and a public-housing water contamination snafu<\/a> at public housing, Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber said during a City Council hearing today.<\/p>\n However, the department said two rounds of savings initiatives, called \u201cPrograms to Eliminate the Gap,\u201d have hit it particularly hard.<\/p>\n \u201cDOI does not have programmatic initiatives or discretionary obligations that can be easily cut to satisfy the Programs to Eliminate the Gap and thus reducing vacant positions has been our primary tool to meet reduction targets,\u201d she said during a budget oversight hearing.<\/p>\n The agency is seeking funds to hire 20 vacant spots largely in its investigative division that Strauber said are key to performing basic duties and expand the department\u2019s ability to launch proactive investigations. \u2014 Joe Anuta<\/p>\n ZAZA WASN\u2019T: New York City officials seized and padlocked a notorious illegal pot shop Wednesday for selling untaxed cigarettes, Playbook reported<\/a>. But this morning, Zaza Waza was open again<\/a> for business. \u2026Until Council Member Gale Brewer called the cops, who talked to the merchant inside and got her to leave and lock the door.<\/p>\n Brewer has been trying to close the store \u2014 one of 53 unlicensed cannabis shops on the Upper West Side, she said \u2014 for over a year. This episode highlighted how government agencies haven\u2019t been able to close head shops that are openly flouting marijuana control laws.<\/p>\n The state Office of Cannabis Management doesn\u2019t have enough resources to take on the problem, Brewer said. So she reiterated her budget ask: \u201cThe state has to give authority to the city and the City Council has to pass a law\u201d to boost enforcement. \u2014 Jeff Coltin<\/p>\n UUP HOSTS DOWNSTATE PANELS: The United University Professions is making its latest push against SUNY\u2019s plan to shutter Downstate Medical Center\u2019s building with a series of virtual panel discussions.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The panels will focus on the impact a closure of the hospital would have on the community and medical field in Central Brooklyn. Panelists will include Downstate faculty, and healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n The plan laid out by SUNY would reduce the number of UUP members employed at the hospital by up to 20 percent. It\u2019s been criticized for its lack of transparency and a closed door community engagement process.<\/p>\n The panels are set to kick off on Friday followed by additional meetings on March 19 and March 20. They will be open to the public, a contrast to the closed door focus groups conducted by SUNY this month. \u2014 Katelyn Cordero<\/p>\n DANIEL\u2019S LAW PUSH: Funding for a pilot program that would reduce the reliance on police when a person is in a mental health crisis has gained support of state lawmakers.<\/p>\n The state Senate and Assembly this week included $2 million to fund the enactment of a measure named after Daniel Prude, who died while in the custody of the Rochester Police Department.<\/p>\n Supporters of the measure want to create crisis teams composed of mental health and substance abuse to aid people and reduce the role police would play. \u2014 Nick Reisman<\/p>\n FIGHT FOR MAYORAL CONTROL: Schools Chancellor David Banks today expressed concerns about stripping Mayor Eric Adams of his control over the New York City public school system after state legislators declined to weigh in on the issue<\/a> in their one-house budgets this week.<\/p>\n Banks maintained he\u2019s made a strong case for why Adams should receive a four-year extension of mayoral control, which will sunset June 30. He warned against making changes to the Panel for Educational Policy, the Department of Education\u2019s governing body, the majority of whose members are appointed by the mayor.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t have the majority of the votes, you don\u2019t have the power because that means now you have to negotiate for every vote that you\u2019re trying to do,\u201d Banks told reporters at Tweed Courthouse, the DOE\u2019s headquarters in Lower Manhattan. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to do the right thing for kids, but every single vote now has to be negotiated. That\u2019s politics.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe reason I accepted this assignment as chancellor was because of this mayor and the ability to work in alignment with this mayor. I have no interest in serving as a chancellor in a system where you don’t really have the authority to make real decisions \u2026 I wanna be very, very clear about that.” \u2014 Madina Tour\u00e9<\/p>\n \u2014 Syracuse\u2019s auditor Alexander Marion is urging Hochul to give more money to localities. (State of Politics<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 A man in NYPD custody died of an overdose, the NYPD is now launching an investigation to determine if the man was searched properly. (Daily News<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 New York City can finally start applying for reimbursements for its migrant spending. (POLITICO<\/a>)<\/p>\n