ALBANY, N.Y. (WCAX) – Tax cuts, credits, and money in Empire State residents’ pockets are some of the promises from New York Governor Kathy Hochul during her budget address Tuesday.
“This is a balanced budget, there is no income tax increases and we have record reserves. I have to factor all that into whether or not we are going to increase spending. If those three facts were not true, there would be a different dynamic,” Hochul said, touting her $252 billion budget, a $15 billion hike over last year
The governor says the state has a nearly $5 billion surplus which she hopes to use on things like tax cuts for the middle class, inflation rebate checks, universal school meals, and bolstering the child care tax credit.
It’s a budget that North Country lawmakers will require closer scrutiny. “We will be delving into it, seeing some of the specific areas that it deals with the North Country and my district and how that will affect anywhere from infrastructure funding to child care to anything in between,” said Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay Lake.
“What we have is a spending problem, and here we are going to spend every dollar that we have taken in and expand government rather than cut it back,” said Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Horicon.
The governor also laid out a more defined cell phone policy ban in New York schools. “Every student will be required to disconnect from their devices during school hours bell to bell. That means during class, at lunch, in the hallways. Our kids will finally be free from the endless disruptions of social media and all the disruptions that come from it,” Hochul said.
Jones agrees that something should be done while Simpson says it is a matter best left up to districts.
Hochul also says she wants $8 million to go toward more state police on the northern border, a potential move that both lawmakers say will require a second look at the Green Light Law.