With assist from Shawn Ness
Each homes of the state Legislature are planning to introduce their one-house price range proposals subsequent Monday then move them someday earlier than they adjourn for the week on March 14.
That can body the controversy across the $233 billion spending plan proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul as lawmakers ramp up talks over the product due on March 31 — however which is able to possible come not less than somewhat late as a result of overlap of that date and Easter.
Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins didn’t supply many teasers for her home’s proposal at an look within the Capitol right this moment, saying she doesn’t wish to “be preemptive.”
However she did point out the Senate will suggest adjustments to Hochul’s proposal to lower funding for 337 college districts — regardless of the price range plan together with a virtually 3 p.c enhance in general schooling assist.
“It’s protected to say that we’re involved concerning the schooling proposals the governor has put ahead,” Stewart-Cousins mentioned informed reporters as she outlined a sequence of agriculture payments set to be handed right this moment.
“Virtually half the college districts within the state would have been receiving lower than they anticipated.”
Faculty assist expects to be one of the crucial contentious points as the edges negotiate in earnest within the coming weeks.
In an look on the Capitol this afternoon, Hochul’s price range director Blake Washington mentioned there could be “collaboration” on easy methods to tackle college funding.
He was requested particularly a few plan just lately talked about by Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie — not slicing any funding for this 12 months, however reexamining the components going ahead.
Hochul’s workplace may “be receptive” to “amending the components to offer a significant outcome that the legislative leaders can agree upon,” Washington mentioned. “There’s in all probability a close to time period and a long-term objective right here. If previous is prologue, you’d in all probability see somewhat little bit of each.”
Different topics may face longer odds to make it into the one-houses. Each homes — significantly the Meeting — are traditionally a bit extra reluctant than the governor to incorporate coverage objects within the price range.
“I wouldn’t count on to see a variety of innovation, round A.I. in our one-house,” Stewart-Cousins mentioned when requested about that topic.
On housing, one other cornerstone of Hochul’s plan, the bulk chief mentioned “it’s essential we’ve got” a dialog on that topic, “whether or not it’s contained in the price range or outdoors the price range.”
Hochul isn’t proposing as sturdy a housing plan as final 12 months after her effort to mandate new properties in communities was rebuffed by lawmakers.
However a number of proposals in her government price range are nonetheless controversial — like a brand new model of the expired 421-a tax break, and a measure to carry the cap on residential density in New York Metropolis. Some lawmakers additionally wish to once more push for “good trigger” eviction legal guidelines that might higher defend tenants.
Loads of advocates are doing their finest to make sure their pursuits keep in discussions because the price range talks proceed. Tuesday was the busiest day within the Capitol advanced up to now this 12 months, with strains for safety on the Legislative Workplace Constructing’s elevators stretching far down the halls.
The biggest rally included unions, resembling NYSUT and the AFL-CIO, to name for altering the Cuomo period “Tier VI” pension plan into one thing a bit extra beneficiant to public staff.
That concept is predicted to be included within the Senate’s proposal, in line with two officers acquainted with the plans, however the particulars had been nonetheless being ironed out. — Invoice Mahoney
PAID MEDICAL LEAVE WARS: Three Democrats wish to make adjustments to the state’s paid medical depart legal guidelines — which haven’t been up to date since 1989. But it surely’s put some colleagues in awkward positions.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Sens. Jeremy Cooney and Jessica Ramos every have their very own concepts on easy methods to enhance paid medical and incapacity depart advantages in New York, which at the moment has been capped at $170/week since 1989.
However every disagree over how rapidly companies needs to be required to boost the advantages. The proposals additionally differ by way of how a lot help employers ought to supply employees on depart — and for a way lengthy that help needs to be required.
The results of the three-way spat: Advocates for Ramos’ invoice from NYCLU and nonprofit authorized group A Higher Stability awkwardly ended up behind Cooney throughout a press convention right this moment for his invoice.
However the advocates then clarified to POLITICO that they weren’t supportive of Cooney’s invoice — which goals to attain parity with paid household depart at 67 p.c of the typical weekly wage over 4 years — and had erroneously stood behind him.
As a substitute, they’re backing Ramos’ measure, which goals to attain will increase by 2025. Hochul desires to do it over 5 years.
“It doesn’t go far sufficient,” Cooney, who has the backing of the Life Insurance coverage Council of New York, mentioned of Hochul’s proposal. — Jason Beeferman
DRUG TREATMENT: State Sens. Gustavo Rivera and Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal are pushing for 2 payments that goal to increase hurt discount companies for drug customers.
The lawmakers gathered with unions and advocacy teams within the Capitol to churn up help for the payments.
“Dependancy shouldn’t be an ethical failing. And criminalization doesn’t work,” Rivera mentioned. “As a result of if it did it might’ve labored already. Individuals are dying right this moment. They died yesterday and they’ll die tomorrow, however they do not should.”
The duo is every sponsoring their very own invoice: Rivera and Rosenthal’s invoice goals to increase the variety of overdose prevention applications, whereas Fernandez’s invoice would supply drug customers a protected solution to check their medicine in managed environments to see whether it is laced.
Rivera hammered residence the purpose that if customers have a protected place to make use of, that it’s going to drastically lower the variety of drug overdoses, as most customers find yourself dying alone, “you may’t recuperate if you’re lifeless,” he mentioned.
“We all know the advantages of the OPCs [overdose prevention centers] that we had been capable of introduce as a pilot program in New York Metropolis,” Assemblymember Demond Meeks, a Rochester Democrat, mentioned. “We’d like all of them throughout the state, and it’s completely protected.” — Shawn Ness
SUBWAY CRIME: Transit crime was down by double digits in February, which Mayor Eric Adams right this moment attributed to Metropolis Corridor shifting officers to 12-hour excursions and including an extra 1,000 law enforcement officials into the subway system every day. The subway system sees over 4 million riders and about six felonies per day, he mentioned.
“We all know folks really feel unsafe, and we wish to ensure that the steadiness of their precise security matches what they’re feeling,” Adams mentioned, noting that Metropolis Corridor is striving for an “omnipresence” of uniformed officers in stations.
As well as, the NYPD is “reinstituting” bag checks within the subway system “within the subsequent week or so,” Adams mentioned. “There was all the time a model happening — they could elevate and escalate it somewhat extra.”
He added that Metropolis Corridor has recognized two fashions of metallic detectors which might be “promising” and going via “rigorous inspections.”
“I really feel assured that we’re going to seek out know-how that’s going to determine firearms,” he mentioned. — Irie Sentner
BREAKING OUT THE OLD ANTI-FRACKING POSTERS: Advocates who campaigned to dam hydraulic fracturing to extract fuel in New York a decade in the past returned to Albany once more to combat a brand new proposal to make use of carbon dioxide as an alternative of water.
A invoice to dam the proposal by Southern Tier Options, which desires to check the know-how in that a part of the state, is shifting via the Senate and Meeting.
“This firm is providing a chance on the expense of working folks,” mentioned state Sen. Lea Webb, the sponsor of the invoice. “The impacts are too devastating.”
Environmental advocates repurposed outdated banners and posters for the brand new marketing campaign, with some marking in “CO2” above “Fracking = Local weather Change.” A Cuomo-era poster studying “Don’t Frack with our Future” additionally made an look (the half with Cuomo’s face was stored rolled up). — Marie J. French
FAITH-BASED HOUSING: Amid a dire housing scarcity in New York state lawmakers are scrambling to give you methods to spice up the state’s housing provide.
One possibility — make church buildings, synagogues and different spiritual establishments eligible to bypass native zoning legal guidelines and construct housing, as of proper, on land owned by faith-based organizations.
“Rising the provision of everlasting housing is a vital a part of making certain that we get out of the (housing) disaster,” Brian Kavanagh, chair of the senate housing committee, informed Playbook.
The measure is separate from a push from Mayor Eric Adams to make it simpler for church buildings and non secular establishments to offer non permanent shelters for migrants, who’re additionally pressed for a spot to remain within the metropolis.
The invoice, sponsored by state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, ensures the housing constructed on spiritual establishments’ lands could be “deeply inexpensive,” with restrictions various based mostly on whether or not or not the event is situated inside New York Metropolis.
“We expect that, given the depths of the housing disaster that we’re in proper now, it is sensible to make it simpler for these establishments to develop inexpensive housing, so long as they meet sure affordability necessities,” Gounardes mentioned — Jason Beeferman
PROTECT RETAIL WORKERS: State Sen. Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Karines Reyes, the chairs of the Labor Committee and Subcommittee on Office Security, respectively, are urging different lawmakers to help and move the “Retail Employee Security Act.” (S.8358/A. 8947).
Unions and lawmakers railed on the state Capitol right this moment in help of the measure.
“We’re being offered with a false alternative: We don’t want to decide on between defending items from retail theft and defending employees,” Ramos mentioned in a press release. “The essential premise of the Retail Employee Security Act is that workplaces ought to have a plan. Employers and employees ought to take into consideration a plan of action upfront, within the hopes that they’ll by no means have to make use of it.”
The invoice would require retail employers to develop plans to guard their employees from violence, in addition to present annual coaching and opinions of the applications.
“This problem is deeper than the adjustments which might be being made to show cabinets and circumstances, however one that’s central to employee security,” Reyes mentioned in a press release. “These steps are essential to comprehensively cut back violence towards employees and clients, which needs to be addressed within the remaining enacted state price range.” — Shawn Ness
— Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was subpoenaed by the Republican-led Home subcommittee investigating the Covid-19 pandemic. (POLITICO)
— Senate Deputy Majority Chief Mike Gianaris talked about redistricting and the way the method ought to look sooner or later. (Capitol Pressroom)
— Election boards are trying for extra employees for upcoming elections. (State of Politics)
— Law enforcement officials discovered extra physique elements in a park in Babylon, Lengthy Island. (Newsday)