New York lawmakers left Albany with major concerns unresolved after a 57-day-late state budget consumed the legislative session and produced what critics call a bloated spending plan that fails to confront affordability, energy costs, crime and other pressing challenges.
Senator Dean Murray said the delayed budget had consequences far beyond missed deadlines.
“They just decided to blow past the state budget deadline, and because the budget was so late, it messed up everything as far as local bills,” Murray said. “A lot of local bills did not get done, all because they were irresponsible.”
The final budget was reported at $268.5 billion, nearly two months late, before later reports showed total spending was billions than what was originally reported. Murray said the process left lawmakers scrambling while Gov. Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats celebrated a spending plan that still does not make New York more affordable.
“There’s no excuse,” Murray said. “They always use the line, ‘better a late budget than a bad budget.’ Well, no, because your late budget actually messed up a lot of bills.”
Murray accused Democrats of refusing to extend the session because many New York City lawmakers wanted to return home for primary elections.
“You blow past the deadline for having an on-time budget, but you sure as hell wouldn’t blow past the deadline to end the session,” he said.
Among the measures that failed to reach the finish line were several statewide initiatives lawmakers had hoped to complete before adjournment. High-profile proposals that stalled included expanded consumer data privacy protections designed to give residents more control over personal information collected online, a broader Bottle Bill that would have expanded deposits to additional beverage containers, and legislation aimed at reducing packaging waste and increasing recycling requirements for manufacturers.
Murray also said his crime victims legislative agenda was delayed by the late budget and compressed end-of-session schedule. He noted that several proposals intended to strengthen victims’ rights and improve support services were pushed aside as lawmakers raced to complete mandatory business before adjournment.
“This year was so disappointing,” he said. “So bad.”
While some bills passed, Murray said the session’s larger failures remain unchanged. Despite record spending and a budget that grew billions beyond initial projections, he argued Albany failed to address the affordability crisis, rising energy costs, public safety concerns and other challenges facing New Yorkers.
“There were bills all over the state that should have passed,” Murray said, “but we simply ran out of time.”