Session agenda shaped by virus

Lawmakers, convening Wednesday, to take on health crisis, deficit

With an extended eviction moratorium already in place, New York lawmakers now must turn their attention to closing the multi-billion-dollar deficit the state faces for years to come — all while grappling with spiking coronavirus cases and a bumpy vaccination rollout.

The Legislature is poised to convene Wednesday for the start of this year’s session. Political insiders say this week’s business will focus on nominating legislative leaders and other internal business.

Spokespeople for legislative leaders said Monday that their focus will remain on the public health crisis and reining in the $63 billion deficit predicted through 2024.

“Our members will be working hard to keep people safe, get our economy moving, and help people get back to work,” said Michael Whyland, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie.

Heastie will be presenting his 2021 priorities to members next week, Whyland said.

New York is grappling with a nearly $15 billion budget gap this year alone; Democrats have denounced what they say is an insufficient federal response to assist state and local governments amid the pandemic.

State lawmakers and legislative leaders have come out in strong support of raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers to help close the gap, while also moving forward with a recreational cannabis program that would bring new revenue to the state. Legislators had eyed approving tax hikes before the

New Year, but Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo opted to wait for the 2021 budget process.

Cuomo was given sweeping executive authority last year as the Legislature worked to respond quickly to the coronavirus pandemic.

Those powers will continue until April of this

year unless the Legislature revokes them.

How the executive plans to address the historic deficit will be revealed in the proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins April 1.

Budget Division spokesman Freeman Klopott said in a statement that “the federal government must follow through on its promise to deliver funding so that the state can continue to support critical services

and lead the national recovery. In the absence of federal funding, the state will consider spending reductions, borrowing, and revenue increases to close the deficit.”

Cuomo, who will deliver his annual State of the State address Monday, has acknowledged that legalizing recreational marijuana, raising taxes, cutting expenses and even layoffs of public employees could be on the table.