State lawmakers agree on common sense budget proposals

Columbia-Greene Media

ALBANY — State lawmakers representing the Twin Counties agree on several policies they say are priorities for this year’s state budget including restoring financial aid levels for municipalities.

Assembly Republicans unveiled their priorities for the 2019-20 state budget Wednesday that include maintaining funding for municipalities through the Aid and Incentives for Municipalities program.

“My priority as a legislator has always been to look after the people the governor and downstate Democrats have left behind,” said Assemblyman Chris Tague, R-102. “It’s with that focus in mind that I’m happy to see making the property tax cap permanent and providing relief for unfunded mandates as part of this plan.”

The Republicans’ budget proposal, known as the Budget Blueprint for a Better NY, calls for:

n Making the 2 percent property tax cap permanent. Under the tax cap, which is renewed periodically by the state Legislature, requires municipalities to keep their tax levy increases below 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lowest. The state Senate passed a bill that would make the tax cap permanent, but the Assembly bill, which has bipartisan support, has not been brought to a vote.

n Providing a living wage for direct-care workers.

n Maintaining the middle-class tax cuts.

n Increasing funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, which provides funding to municipalities to pay for infrastructure improvements.

n Increasing aid to libraries.

n Improving the Tuition Assistance Program and offer student loan relief.

n Keeping AIM funding levels the same. Gov. Andrew Cuomo original proposal cut nearly $60 million from the AIM program, causing concern among local governments. The proposal would cut aid to municipalities for which AIM accounts for 2 percent of their budgets. In response to backlash from local government officials, the governor suggested he will restore the funds by using new revenue generated through sales tax on online retail purchases.

“Upstate New Yorkers and small town governments have been left out of the discussion for far too long,” Tague said. “I’m calling on the governor and every legislator in the state to ensure that upstate gets its fair share and relief from oppressive policies that raise our taxes and drive our neighbors from their homes.”

Cuomo proposed Feb. 19 an amendment to his budget proposal to close three state prisons to be chosen by the state Department Corrections and Community Supervision, citing that since 2011 the prison population has declined 16.7 percent from 56,419 inmates to 46,973.

Republicans are calling for a hearing on the proposal to close the prisons before budget passage. The deadline for passage is April 1.

Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, D-106, shares similar priorities for this year’s budget as Republicans.

“As we continue our 2019-20 budget negotiations, I’m focused on increasing state funding for municipalities and local libraries, funding repairs to our aging infrastructure and supporting direct care workers,” Barrett said. “These priorities have widespread bipartisan support in both legislative houses.”

Barrett is also pushing to include a bill she sponsors in the budget that would increase the minimum award under the Tuition Assistance Program from $500 to $750 and the financial aid program’s income threshold from $80,000 to $95,000.

“By increasing access to this critical program, we can ensure that even more New York families can afford to send their kids to college,” Barrett said. “I’ll continue working with my Assembly colleagues and our partners in the state Senate to pass a budget that helps hardworking families and moves our state forward.”