Budget battle into overtime
ALBANY — State leaders Sunday did not reach a budget agreement but nonetheless appeared poised to back down from the brink of New York’s first-ever government shutdown.
In a lengthy statement released just before midnight, Gov. Cuomo said the inability of state leaders to reach an agreement on a new budget that is already three days late has forced him to submit legislation to extend the previous year’s spending through the end of May.
Cuomo said legislative leaders have agreed by Monday afternoon to pass the extender that will allow government to continue to operate. By law, lawmakers will not get paid until a new budget is adopted.
Citing the potential for massive federal cuts to the state as well as policy changes in Washington that could threaten women and immigrants, Cuomo said a final state budget is needed to address key issues.
Among them is raising the age to 18 at which a teen can be charged as an adult in Criminal Court, and the need to release $2 billion in money to combat homelessness that was approved in 2015.
“The looming threats from Washington leave us with two options: Our state budget must either fully anticipate and address our human and financial needs, or we must keep working to reach compromise on the reform issues and remain financially cautious so we can adapt to federal actions once they are determined,” Cuomo said.
He added that “the Legislature has not been able to reach total agreement on all issues necessary for a complete annual agenda. ‘Raise the age’ and affordable housing are especially controversial politically, but necessary governmentally. I will not accept ‘half a loaf’ on these issues.”
Extending the previous budget through May will give state leaders time to continue to work on those issues while bracing for potential federal cuts that will be outlined on May 21.
In a separate statement, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (DBronx) said the Legislature and governor “will be working hard through the night to resolve the remaining issues.”
But he added that “the Assembly is prepared to pass a temporary budget extender should one be necessary to avoid a shutdown of government while we resolve these issues.”
Throughout Sunday, with the state in its second day without a budget in place, legislative leaders said negotiations with Cuomo made progress, but final agreements were elusive.
As it has been all week, a proposal to raise the age at which teens can be charged with a crime as adults from 16 to 18 remained the critical stumbling block.
“There’s no finality on anything — still open issues,” Heastie (D-Bronx) said just after 4 p.m.
Early in the day lawmakers had hoped to begin passing budget bills in the afternoon. That did not happen.
Cuomo and lawmakers had until midnight Friday to reach agreement on a new spending plan before the start of the 2017-18 fiscal year.
The blown deadline means that New York technically lacks the authority to spend money. But lawmakers said they did not expect the situation to pose any real hardships until midweek, when the state begins a new pay period.
Cuomo, who has in prior years boasted that his administration put an end to New York’s reputation for late budgets, proclaimed early Saturday morning that he was giving lawmakers a “grace period” of the weekend to conclude negotiations. They did not, setting up the possible extender.