Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers have agreed a $229 billion budget that would tweak the state’s bail laws, boost the minimum wage and extend a pandemic-era tax increase on New York’s most profitable companies.
Hochul announced the conceptual deal with legislative leaders Thursday night at the state Capitol.
The budget deal is also notable for what it leaves out. It does not include the governor’s top budget priority, a plan to boost affordable housing with the construction of 800,000 units across the state over the next decade.
The budget deal comes four weeks after the April 1 state deadline to have a spending plan in place. State lawmakers had to pass five udget extenders to make sure the government could continue to operate and pay its employees.
Hochul negotiated with state Assembly and Senate Democratic leaders for weeks on her top two priorities, housing and bail reform.
The agreement on bail reform is a victory for the governor. The policy change removes a requirement that judges use the “least restrictive” standard to make sure people charged with violent felonies return to court. Now judges will have more discretion to set bail in those cases.
Other controversial issues held up a budget deal in the final weeks of negotiation, including proposals to raise the minimum wage, expand charter schools in New York City, and crack down on illegal cannabis sales.
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