ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York leaders worked toward agreements on key state budget priorities Tuesday, grappling with the possibility of funding cuts from Washington.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he has struck “more than conceptual” deals with Senate and Assembly leaders that would boost spending on the state’s aging water infrastructure, increase college tuition assistance, raise the age of criminal responsibility to 18 and allow Uber and Lyft to expand upstate.
Top lawmakers were more cautious as negotiations wore on, three days before the Saturday budget deadline.
“There are no final deals on anything,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx.
The talks now focus on the impact of possible federal funding cuts to health care and education, Cuomo said. While the budget has some flexibility built in, he said it could not easily withstand the significant cuts proposed by some Congressional Republicans.
“If it’s a $1.2 billion hit to the state of New York, that’s a heavy cut that will draw blood, but it’s not fatal,” said Cuomo, who proposed a $152 billion spending plan in January. “If it’s a $5 billion cut, all bets are off.”
Cuomo said he would rather be fiscally cautious now, rather than be forced to reduce funding to school districts later. He has floated the idea of passing a simple extension of the current year budget - which would not include added tuition assistance. Top lawmakers pushed back against the idea Tuesday.
“We can pass an on-time budget this week,” said Senate Leader John Flanagan, a Long Island Republican. “We don’t need to wait for the federal government.”
Cuomo, Heastie and Flanagan already can claim broad agreement on one key issue of the year: funding for the care of disabled residents. Cuomo announced Tuesday that he would support $55 million in the budget to raise pay for direct care and support workers. The Senate and Assembly have backed $45 million.
Advocates for the disabled say low pay has led to dangerous staff shortages and prompted workers to flee to fast-food jobs.
“Today the voice of those who have no voice was heard,” said Harvey Weisenberg, a former lawmaker and father of a disabled son.
Other top budget debates include increasing tuition assistance to make state college tuition free for middle-class students and allowing Uber and Lyft to move into upstate cities like Rochester, Buffalo and Albany. The app-based ride-hailing services are now limited to the New York City area.
A third high-profile proposal would raise the age of criminal responsibility so 16- and 17-year-olds aren’t automatically prosecuted as adults. Hundreds of social workers and youth advocates gathered at the Capitol Tuesday to lobby for moving cases involving 16- and 17-year-old defendants to family court, saying the criminal system does not encourage rehabilitation and does not include the parental or community involvement that youths need to avoid future convictions
Senate Republicans and Democrats have sparred over which crimes would still be prosecuted in criminal courts, with district attorneys asserting that family courts are not set up for repeat or violent offenders.
Sen. Jeff Klein, a Bronx Democrat, said a deal in the works would create special youth court for more serious offenses, leaving it up to a judge and prosecutor to decide whether or not to move those to family court.
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