NYAPRS Note: Despite predictions we’d have a budget deal by now, the Legislature and Governor Cuomo are still far apart on a number of key issues. We continue to push for funding for a statewide Crisis Intervention Teams initiative.
Budget Talks Remain Fluid, Lawmakers Say
State of Politics March 25, 2014
Despite some what was perhaps wishful thinking on Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos’s part for a budget deal tonight, that will likely not happen.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in New York City for the evening (his office did not give a reason why) and no leaders meetings are scheduled.
Cuomo and state lawmakers held two separate meetings on Monday: The governor first huddled with the Senate Republican and Independent Democratic Conference leaders and then with Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Binghamton Republican Sen. Tom Libous, the number two GOP lawmaker in the Senate, called the budget talks “fluid” at the moment, though the larger framework of specific goals have been locked down.
“There are agreements, if you will, on what needs to get done,” Libous said.
One source had said earlier that lawmakers and the governor were discussing funding pre-Kindergarten for New York City at $300 million — a number that could very well change in the coming days.
“That’s the whole thing: Everything is fluid right now,” Libous said. “Everybody knows that certain things have to be done. Those of us upstate knows the gap elimination has to be closed. All those things have to be worked on.”
Libous, the conference’s floor leader, also did not rule out a potential message of necessity from Cuomo.
The governor has sought to limit exercising the power of waiving the three-day aging process for bills, though he has used them for high-profile legislation such as a gun control package and the legalization of same-sex marriage (Technically speaking, the Legislature must ask for the message).
Libous said the conference remains firm on its position when it comes to the public financing of political campaigns, though he hinted at the possibility of an ethics overhaul in the budget.
Cuomo’s trump card remains the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption, a panel that is trying to use its subpoena power to pry more information out of lawmakers when it comes to their outside income.
The lawsuit challenging the commission’s subpoena power has been adjourned until April, or after the budget process is due to conclude.
“I know they’re discussing another whole bunch of options on ethics and corruption,” Libous said. “I think probably we’re going to have a package to tighten up things, they have to be done, I don’t think our conference disagrees with that.”