MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022 2:03 P.M.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE HOUSE WILL COME

TO ORDER.

THE REVEREND DONNA ELIA WILL OFFER A PRAYER.

REVEREND DONNA ELIA: LET US PRAY. GOOD AND

MERCIFUL GOD WHOM WE CALL BY MANY NAMES, WE COME BEFORE YOU

WITH HOPE AND WITH FERVENT PRAYERS FOR OUR STATE, NATION, AND THE

WORLD. HEAR THE CONCERNS OF OUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN THIS VERY HOUR.

AS THIS ASSEMBLY CONVENES, POUR OUT AN ABUNDANT MEASURE OF YOUR

GRACE AND BLESSING. LET EACH ONE BE FILLED WITH WISDOM, COURAGE,

ENERGY AND INSIGHT, AND ALL THE GOOD GIFTS AND GRACES THEY NEED FOR THE

WORK AT HAND. ESPECIALLY GRANT THEM WISDOM AND FORBEARANCE IN

MAKING BUDGET DECISIONS. BLESS THE WORK OF ALL STAFF PEOPLE. THANK

YOU FOR ALL THEY DO, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHOSE WORK GOES

UNNOTICED BUT CONTRIBUTES TO THE WHOLE. IF ANY ARE DISCOURAGED, FILL

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THEM WITH HOPE. IF ANY ARE WEARY OR FEELING UNWELL, RESTORE TO THEM

STRENGTH AND HEALTH. COMFORT ANY WHO MOURN, AND BE A NEAR AND

LOVING PRESENCE TO ALL. PRESERVE AND PROTECT THEIR LOVED ONES AND ALL

THEY HOLD DEAR. WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE.

DELIVER THEM FROM VIOLENCE, AND MAY THERE BE PEACE AND JUSTICE IN THE

WORLD. IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: AMEN.

VISITORS ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE

OF ALLEGIANCE.

(WHEREUPON, ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY LED VISITORS AND

MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.)

A QUORUM BEING PRESENT THE CLERK WILL READ THE

JOURNAL OF SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MR. SPEAKER, I MOVE TO

DISPENSE WITH THE FURTHER READING OF THE JOURNAL OF SUNDAY, MARCH

13TH AND ASK THAT THE SAME STAND APPROVED.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO

ORDERED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.

SPEAKER. COLLEAGUES, THOSE WHO ARE IN THE CHAMBERS, AS WELL AS THOSE

WHO ARE REMOTE AND IN THEIR OFFICES, HAPPY MONDAY, AND TO ALL OF OUR

GUESTS THAT ARE IN THE CHAMBERS, AND STAFF AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO

SHARE A QUOTE TODAY FROM A YOUNG LADY WHO I THINK HAD NO IDEA HOW

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PROLIFIC HER WORDS WOULD BE. IT'S NONE OTHER THAN ANNE FRANK WHO WAS

A GERMAN DIARIST OF JEWISH HERITAGE. SHE STAYED FOR TWO YEARS HIDING

IN A HOME DURING THE GERMAN OCCUPATION OF THE NETHERLANDS DURING

WORLD WAR II. HER WORDS FOR US TODAY, MR. SPEAKER, HOW WONDERFUL IT

IS THAT NOBODY NEEDS TO WAIT A SINGLE MOMENT BEFORE STARTING TO

IMPROVE THE WORLD. AGAIN, MR. SPEAKER, THOSE COMMENTS ARE -- WORDS

ARE FROM ANNE FRANK. I GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT HER EVERY TIME I THINK

ABOUT HER HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FACILITY WHERE SHE

STAYED IN FOR TWO YEARS WHILE MEN FOUGHT.

NOW I WOULD LIKE TO ADVISE MY COLLEAGUES THAT YOU

HAVE ON YOUR DESK A MAIN CALENDAR WITH 29 NEW BILLS ON IT AND AN

A-CALENDAR. MR. SPEAKER, IF YOU COULD PLEASE ADVANCE THE

A-CALENDAR.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON A MOTION BY MRS.

PEOPLES-STOKES, THE A-CALENDAR IS ADVANCED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, SIR. WE WILL

BE TAKING UP OUR PRINCIPAL WORK TODAY FROM THE ASSEMBLY'S BUDGET

RESOLUTION WHICH IS ON THE A-CALENDAR, AND I'M GOING TO ASK

COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND COOPERATION DURING TODAY'S

PROCEEDINGS. WE MUST BE WILLING TO HEAR FROM AND LISTEN TO OTHER'S

THOUGHT PROCESSES DURING THIS CONVERSATION, AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO

HAVE OUR ESTEEMED CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE IN THE

CHAMBERS. SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A GENERAL OUTLINE, MR. SPEAKER, SO IF

YOU HAVE ANY HOUSEKEEPING, NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO DO THAT.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THANK YOU, SIR.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: CERTAINLY.

ON A MOTION BY MR. LAVINE, PAGE 23, CALENDAR NO.

125, BILL NO. 3409, AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.

ON A MOTION BY MR. GOTTFRIED, PAGE 42, CALENDAR NO.

295, BILL NO. 7363, AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.

ON THE A-CALENDAR, ASSEMBLY NO. 644, THE CLERK WILL

READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 644, MR.

HEASTIE. ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION IN RESPONSE TO THE 2022-2023

EXECUTIVE BUDGET SUBMISSION (BILL NOS. A9000-A, A.9001, A.9002,

A.9003-A, A.9004-A, A.9005-A, A.9006-A, A.9007-A, A.9008-A,

AND A.9009-A) TO BE ADOPTED AS LEGISLATION EXPRESSING THE POSITION OF

THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY RELATING TO THE 2022-2023 NEW YORK

STATE BUDGET.

MR. RA: EXPLANATION, PLEASE.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: AN EXPLANATION IS

REQUESTED, MS. WEINSTEIN.

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S BEEN AWHILE. GOOD

AFTERNOON, COLLEAGUES. WE RECEIVED THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET ON JANUARY

18TH AND SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE HELD A SERIES OF 13 PUBLIC HEARINGS

JOINTLY WITH THE SENATE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM STATE AGENCY HEADS,

ADVOCATES, AND THE PUBLIC AT-LARGE. THESE HEARINGS FREQUENTLY LASTED

WELL INTO THE NIGHT, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MEMBERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF

THE AISLE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND ATTENTION TO THEIR -- TO THAT PROCESS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

WE ALSO MET IN A PUBLIC FORUM TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC AND REVENUE

PROJECTIONS AND LATER REACHED CONSENSUS ON REVENUES WITH THE DIVISION

OF BUDGET AND THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

EACH OF THESE STEPS FULFIL OUR STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS

WITH RESPECT TO OUR STATE'S BUDGET-MAKING PROCESS, AND WITH THAT I'M

HAPPY TO JOIN YOU TODAY AS WE TAKE ANOTHER STEP TOWARD THE TIMELY

ADOPTION OF THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR IN CONSIDERING

THIS RESPONSE OF THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET. WE COME INTO THIS BUDGET IN A

VERY DIFFERENT POSITION THAN WE DID DURING THE DARKEST DAYS OF THE

COVID-19 PANDEMIC. OUR BUSINESSES ARE OPENING, CHILDREN ARE BACK

AT SCHOOL, AND 86 PERCENT OF OUR WORKING AGE POPULATION HAS BECOME

VACCINATED. OWE IT TO FEDERAL AID, FINANCIAL MARKET PERFORMANCE AND

REVISIONS TO OUR TAX CODE THAT WE ADVANCED AS PART OF LAST YEAR'S

BUDGET, OUR STATE'S REVENUE PICTURE HAS IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY.

IN GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, THE STARTING PLACE

ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS EXECUTIVE BUDGET IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN MUCH

OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST DECADE. THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET

HONORED OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE TO PAY DOWN FOUNDATION AID

AND PROVIDED MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS IN THE STAFFING AND OPERATIONS OF

THE HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE SECTOR. THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET ALSO

RESTORED MANY OF THE LONG-STANDING PRIORITIES OF THE LEGISLATURE WHILE

AVOIDING UNNECESSARY CUTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THE BUDGET OF THE

MAJORITY ADOPTS MOST OF THE GOVERNOR'S FRAMEWORK AND BUILDS ON IT

ACCORDINGLY.

AS TO THE ASSEMBLY PROPOSALS, I'M GOING TO GO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THROUGH A FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME CONTINUED

DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS RESOLUTION. THE ASSEMBLY

PROPOSES AN ALL FUNDS BUDGET OF $226.4 BILLION FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR

2022-'23, WHICH IS $7.9 BILLION OR 3.6 PERCENT OVER THE EXECUTIVE

PROPOSAL. ALL FUNDS RECEIPTS UNDER THE ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL ARE

PROJECTED AT $213.6 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF $1.9 BILLION OVER THE

EXECUTIVE ESTIMATE, AND A DECREASE OF $30.3 BILLION OR 12.4 PERCENT

BELOW THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THE ASSEMBLY PROJECTS THAT GENERAL

FUNDS SPENDING WILL TOTAL $103 BILLION, WHICH IS $5.5 BILLION OVER THE

EXECUTIVE PROPOSAL, AND THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $12.4 BILLION OR

13.6 PERCENT FROM FISCAL YEAR 2021-'22'S ESTIMATED LEVELS.

AS TO REVENUES, THE ASSEMBLY FINANCIAL PLAN ASSUMES

$1.2 BILLION IN REESTIMATES OF STATE REVENUES, AND ACCEPTS THE GOVERNOR

-- THE EXECUTIVE PROPOSAL OF $2.2 BILLION FOR HOMEOWNER TAX REBATE

CREDIT AND ACCELERATION OF THE MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS AND TAX CUTS FOR

SMALL BUSINESSES. THE ASSEMBLY PROPOSES A SERIES OF NEW TAX CUTS AND

ENHANCED CREDITS TO PROVIDE INFLATIONARY RELIEF FOR FAMILIES AND SUPPORT

SMALL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING A 25 PERCENT INCREASE IN ADVANCE PAYMENT

OF EITC BENEFITS, AN INCREASE IN THE CHILD TAX CREDIT.

IN THE CHILD CARE AREA, THE ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL

PROVIDES $3 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL CHILD CARE SPENDING TO INCREASE

ELIGIBILITY FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE TO 400 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL

POVERTY LEVEL, SUPPORT WORKER WAGES AND SUPPORT OTHER PROVIDER

ASSISTANCE, AND PROVIDE CAPITAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF

ACCESS TO CHILD CARE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CHILD CARE DESERTS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

IN THE HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE AREA, THE ASSEMBLY

PROVIDES OVER $5.9 BILLION IN SUPPORT OF OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE WORKERS, AN

INCREASE IN THE HUMAN SERVICES COLA TO 11 PERCENT, WAGE INCREASES

TO OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS, AND $1 BILLION FOR SAFETY NET AND MAJOR

PUBLIC HOSPITALS. IN THE HOUSING AREA, THE ASSEMBLY PROVIDES OVER

$1.7 BILLION IN HOUSING CAPITAL OVER THE GOVERNOR TO PROMOTE HOME

OWNERSHIP AND THE BUILDING OF EQUITY. WE ALSO PROVIDE $2 BILLION IN

PAYMENTS TO TENANTS AND LANDLORDS AND HOMEOWNERS; THESE ARE UNDER

THE ERAP, LRAP AND HAF PROGRAM, AND A FEW OTHERS. WE HAVE $35

MILLION FOR THE HOMEOWNER PROTECTION PROGRAM TO HELP HOMEOWNERS

FACING POTENTIAL FORECLOSURE AND $50 MILLION FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION

FOR EVICTION PROCEEDINGS.

IN HIGHER EDUCATION, THE ASSEMBLY PROVIDES OVER

$911 MILLION IN OPERATING ASSISTANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, INCLUDING

GENERAL INCREASES IN OPERATING SUPPORT FOR SUNY AND CUNY AND THEIR

COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND AN INCREASE IN MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM TAP

AWARDS. THE ASSEMBLY ALSO PROVIDES A MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENT TO

SUNY, CUNY, AND PRIVATE COLLEGES FOR THEIR CAPITAL EXPENSES. IN

EDUCATION, WE PROVIDE A $1.6 BILLION INCREASE TO SUPPORT THE SECOND

YEAR OF THE THREE YEAR PHASE-IN OF THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA, AND WE

PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $150 MILLION TO UNIVERSAL PRE-K FUNDING. AND

LASTLY, THE ASSEMBLY ALSO PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL $1 BILLION OVER THE

GOVERNOR FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT, $500 MILLION FOR UTILITY

ARREARS FOR NEW YORKERS, AND $150 MILLION IN INCREASED AIM

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PAYMENTS ABOVE THE GOVERNOR.

SO WITH THAT SHORT SUMMARY, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE

SOME QUESTIONS.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. RA.

MR. RA: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL CHAIR

WEINSTEIN YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: CERTAINLY.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. RA: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR CHAIR,

THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH EXPLANATION. I DO STILL HAVE PLENTY OF

QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO GET ON THE RECORD, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT

OVERVIEW OF THIS PLAN. SO I WANT TO START WITH KIND OF THOSE TOP LINE

NUMBERS YOU GAVE US --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. RA: -- THE ALL FUNDS SPENDING NUMBERS AND

HOW IT COMPARES TO THE EXECUTIVE, BUT IF WE COULD BREAK THAT DOWN IN

TERMS OF GENERAL FUNDS, STATE FUNDS, AND STATE OPERATING FUNDS.

MS. WEINSTEIN: CERTAINLY. SO THE GENERAL FUND,

$103 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF $5.5 BILLION OR 5.6 PERCENT OVER THE

EXECUTIVE, AND IT'S AN INCREASE OF $12.4 BILLION OR 13.6 PERCENT OVER THE

CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2021-'22. IN TERMS OF STATE OPERATING FUNDS, $127

BILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $6.2 BILLION OR 5.1 PERCENT OVER THE

EXECUTIVE, AND THAT REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $11.8 BILLION OR 10.3

PERCENT OVER OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. IN TERMS OF STATE FUNDS, $143.3

BILLION, WHICH REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $6.3 BILLION OR 4.6 PERCENT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

OVER THE EXECUTIVE, AND THIS IS AN INCREASE OF $14.6 BILLION OR 11.3

PERCENT OVER THE STATE FISCAL YEAR OF 2021-'22. AND FINALLY IN TERMS OF

ALL FUNDS, THIS REPRESENTS -- WE REPRESENT -- THIS RESOLUTION REPRESENTS

$226.4 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF $7.9 BILLION OR 3.6 PERCENT OVER THE

EXECUTIVE, AND THIS IS AN INCREASE OF $13.4 BILLION OR 6.3 PERCENT OVER

FISCAL YEAR '21-'22.

MR. RA: GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WITH

REGARD TO OUR STATE OPERATING FUNDS SPENDING, AS YOU KNOW FOR MANY

YEARS THE PRIOR GOVERNOR AND MANY OF HIS BUDGETS WE TRIED TO STICK TO A

2 PERCENT NUMBER, AND I KNOW THAT THE EXECUTIVE PROPOSAL WAS AT

ABOUT I THINK A LITTLE OVER 3 PERCENT IN HER PROPOSAL, AND YOU SAID THIS

ONE WOULD BE, WHAT'D YOU SAY, 10.3 PERCENT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. RA: OKAY, SO QUITE -- WE WENT WAY PAST THAT 2

PERCENT NUMBER AND ACTUALLY I BELIEVE IT'S EVEN -- WE'RE EVEN PAST IT IF

WE COMPARED IT JUST TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL. SO I GUESS MY

QUESTION THERE THEN IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL WELL AWARE THAT LAST YEAR'S

BUDGET AS WELL AS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WE HAVE -- WE HAVE A LOT OF

FEDERAL MONEY THAT CAME IN LAST YEAR FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY OVERALL FOR SPECIFIC AREAS,

BUT WE HAD THIS KIND OF UNFETTERED FEDERAL MONEY THAT CAME IN LAST

YEAR AND CERTAINLY, ALL THAT FEDERAL MONEY HAS DRIVEN UP OUR ALL FUNDS

SPENDING, BUT MY CONCERN IS ARE WE DOING ENOUGH AND WHAT DOES THIS

BUDGET DO TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GET INTO THE OUTYEARS, WE'RE ABLE TO

SUSPEND THIS LEVEL OF STATE SPENDING?

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE $2 BILLION

THAT WAS PANDEMIC MONEY THAT WAS SET ASIDE WAS NOT CALCULATED AS PART

OF -- WE PUT -- IT WASN'T LINED OUT IN THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET SO THAT WHEN

THAT'S ADDED THAT ADDS -- IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF THAT PERCENTAGE

INCREASE.

MR. RA: SO THE GOVERNOR'S BASELINE NUMBER IS

ACTUALLY $2 BILLION HIGHER.

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT. YES, YES. SO THAT'S, YOU

KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE FIRST THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION.

MR. RA: OKAY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE DO

THINK THAT THERE IS A CONTINUED IMPROVING ECONOMY. WE DON'T KNOW IF

THEY'LL BE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AID. WE THINK THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE

MAY HAVE THAT, AND WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD

AND THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE EXPENSES THAT ARE YEAR-TO-YEAR

EXPENSES GOING FORWARD.

MR. RA: OKAY. AND, YOU KNOW, AS -- AS YOU

MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT CAME FROM THE REVENUE

CONSENSUS HEARING, AND I WOULD JUST STATE FOR MY COLLEAGUE, I THINK WE

ALWAYS ENJOY HEARING FROM THE EXPERTS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF OUR

COLLEAGUES WATCHED THAT HEARING BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE -- WE WERE I

GUESS REALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONFLICT THAT WE'RE NOW SEEING IN

THE UKRAINE AT THAT TIME AND -- AND THE ORIGINAL EXECUTIVE BUDGET

PROPOSAL WAS REALLY PRIOR TO THAT, BUT THAT WAS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE THAT

WAS BROUGHT UP BY MANY OF THE EXPERTS, AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE A REASON FOR CAUTION.

SO I DO WANT TO GET INTO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE

MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN THIS PROPOSAL VERSUS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE

TOP LINE OF IT VERSUS THE EXECUTIVE IS WITH REGARD TO RESERVE FUNDS, AND

THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED TO PUT MONEY INTO RESERVE FUNDS. I SEE

THAT MAJORITY APPEARS TO BE UTILIZING A LOT OF THAT MONEY TO ACCOUNT FOR

THIS INCREASE IN SPENDING. SO CAN YOU DETAIL HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING

PUT, THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED, IN RESERVE FUNDS WOULD BE USED

AS SPENDING IN THIS PLAN?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DO USE A PORTION OF THAT

RESERVE MONEY. IT WOULD STILL LEAVE $4. -- JUST SHY OF -- IT WOULD LEAVE

JUST -- JUST SHY OF $5 BILLION IN THE RESERVES IN THE ECONOMIC

UNCERTAINTY AREA. THE GOVERNOR DID HAVE A LITTLE -- HAD UNDER $10-

THERE. WE DO FEEL THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT NUMBER.

MR. RA: OKAY. SO IT'S A LITTLE OVER $5 BILLION,

THOUGH, LESS IS BEING LEFT IN THAT FUND THAN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSING,

CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, YES; A LITTLE UNDER $5-.

MR. RA: OKAY. AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE, YOU

KNOW, I THINK ON THIS SIDE OF THE AISLE, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT FOR

YEARS TRYING TO INVEST IN OUR RESERVES, I KNOW THERE ARE CERTAINLY

CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH, IN PARTICULAR, THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES

FUND BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE MORE UNINHIBITED THAN OUR OTHER RESERVE FUNDS

IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO TAKE MONEY OUT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT, YOU

KNOW, REPAYMENT TYPE PROVISIONS AS WELL AS JUST THE GENERAL

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TRANSPARENCY OF IT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS BUDGET IN TERMS OF THE OTHER

RESERVE FUNDS, THE RAINY DAY RESERVE AND TAX STABILIZATION RESERVE,

HOW MUCH IS PROPOSED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DO NOT -- WE DO NOT -- WE

LEAVE THE RAINY DAY PROPOSAL IN PLACE, SO THAT'S 7- -- THAT'S 4.271-

WHICH WAS WHAT THE EXECUTIVE HAD. THERE -- I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE

ONLY CHANGE THAT -- AND THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, OTHER FUNDS AS YOU

MENTIONED. THERE'S THE SETTLEMENT FUND, WE DO NOT ADJUST THE

GOVERNOR'S NUMBER OF $1.741-. WE LEAVE THE RESERVE, THE TIMING OF

THE PITS AT 7.6 BILLION, WE LEAVE THAT THE SAME. THE DEBT MANAGEMENT

NUMBER, $1.35 -- 335-; WE AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR. SO IT'S REALLY JUST

THE RESERVE FOR ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY WHERE WE DIFFER WITH THE

EXECUTIVE.

MR. RA: OKAY. AND THERE IS ALSO KIND OF A -- A

PIECE WITH REGARD TO RESERVES, THOUGH, THAT THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING

THAT IS REJECTED, THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT WOULD INCREASE THE MAXIMUM

ALLOWABLE BALANCE AND DEPOSIT AMOUNTS TO THE RAINY DAY RESERVE

FUND; CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THE MAJORITY IS REJECTING THAT PROPOSAL?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO MOVE IT

TO THE RAINY DAY FUND. WE THINK IT'S OKAY TO KEEP IT IN THE GENERAL

FUND.

MR. RA: BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, I MEAN, WHAT

THAT REALLY DOES IS JUST INCREASE THE ALLOWABLE DEPOSITS, YOU KNOW, AND

I THINK THE EXECUTIVE SMARTLY IS TRYING TO PREPARE FOR WHEN THE DAY

COMES THAT OUR TAX RECEIPTS AREN'T COMING IN SO STRONG. I THINK, IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PARTICULAR, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS LEVEL OF A BUDGET AND THE

INCREASE IN STATE SPENDING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START TO BUILD

UP THAT NUMBER. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ON THIS SIDE OF

THE AISLE AND CERTAINLY THE COMPTROLLER HAS CAUTIONED THE LEGISLATURE

ABOUT, AS WELL.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE

THIS EXTRA MONEY AVAILABLE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THAT THE GOVERNOR

HAD PROPOSED TRANSFERRING IT TO THE RAINY DAY FUND IS BECAUSE OUR

ECONOMIC -- OUR REVENUES ARE GETTING STRONGER, OUR PIT INCREASES --

PIT IS INCREASING BASED IN LARGE PART ON THE TAX CHANGES, THE

PROGRESSIVE TAX CHANGES WE ENACTED LAST YEAR COMING OUT OF COVID.

WE HAVE -- WE'RE SEEING A STRONGER ECONOMY AND WE THINK THAT IT'S

APPROPRIATE TO LEAVE THESE FUNDS IN THE GENERAL FUND AND NOT TRANSFER

THEM OUT.

MR. RA: SO LASTLY ON THE SPENDING SIDE, WHAT ARE THE

OUTYEAR SURPLUS OR DEFICIT PROJECTIONS FOR THE COMING YEARS 2024, '25,

AND '26?

(PAUSE)

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO IN NEXT YEAR -- NEXT YEAR WE

WOULD PROJECT THAT THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES WOULD BE $1.361

BILLION, AND WE WOULD STILL HAVE A RESERVE OF $4.712 BILLION. BUT WE --

WE WOULD BE USING THE RESERVE -- THE RAINY DAY RESERVE NUMBERS TO

HELP ADVANCE SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS BUDGET.

MR. RA: WHAT I'M ASKING ACTUALLY IS WHAT -- IF THIS

PLAN WERE ADOPTED, DO WE HAVE OUTYEAR NUMBERS IN TERMS OF IS -- ARE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

WE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL DEFICIT OR SURPLUS IN THE OUTYEARS IF THIS WAS

PROPOSED, OR ARE WE BALANCED? I KNOW THE EXECUTIVE, YOU KNOW,

PROJECTED REALLY AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MANY WERE EXCITED ABOUT,

RIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THAT MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, THE

EXECUTIVE WAS PROJECTING A BALANCED BUDGET WAY OUT INTO THE OUTYEARS.

SO DO WE PROJECT IF THIS WERE ADOPTED WE WOULD HAVE A BALANCED

BUDGET?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE PROJECT THIS YEAR AND CERTAINLY

NEXT YEAR THAT WE'D BE BALANCED.

MR. RA: DO WE HAVE NUMBERS FOR 2025 OR '26?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DIDN'T REALLY GO THAT -- GO THAT

FAR OUT. I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR WENT BEYOND EVEN THE FIVE YEAR TO

THE '27, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET AND NEXT -- NEXT YEAR'S

BUDGET.

MR. RA: OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I WOULD, AGAIN,

YOU KNOW, SAY THAT THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE CONCERN IS WITH THIS --

WITH THIS SPENDING.

MOVING ON TO DEBT. ACCORDING TO THE COMPTROLLER,

NEW YORK IS THE SECOND MOST INDEBTED STATE BEHIND CALIFORNIA AND

WITH OUR CURRENT BUDGET SURPLUS IT MIGHT BE WISE TO ADDRESS THE

GROWING LEVEL OF DEBT. SO MY FIRST QUESTION THERE IS HOW MUCH DEBT

OUTSTANDING DOES THIS BUDGET ACCOUNT FOR IN THIS FISCAL YEAR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE ARE -- WE ARE $150 MILLION

ABOVE THE EXECUTIVE. THE EXECUTIVE IS AT $69.270 BILLION AND WE'RE AT

$69.420 BILLION; SO IT'S A .21 PERCENT INCREASE.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. RA: AND AM I CORRECT THAT THAT NUMBER DOES NOT

INCLUDE THE DEBT THAT OVER THE LAST FEW BUDGETS HAD BEEN EXCLUDED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. RA: OKAY. DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT DEBT

IS -- IS OUT THERE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: HOLD ON ONE MOMENT.

(PAUSE)

WELL, THE --

(BUZZER GOING OFF)

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. RA, ARE YOU

GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER 15?

MR. RA: YES, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: PROCEED.

(PAUSE)

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO THE OUTSTANDING DEBT CAP IS

$60 -- 60.244 BILLION. THE DEBT OUTSTANDING SINCE THE ACT OF 2000 IS

$49.65 BILLION AND THE ASSEMBLY DEBT OUTSTANDING REMAINING UNDER THE

CAP WOULD BE $11.70 BILLION.

MR. RA: YEAH, SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE SPACE WE

HAVE UNDER THE DEBT CAP, BUT JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS NUMBER, CORRECT,

THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT -- WHAT I'M ASKING IS IF WE HAVE A NUMBER.

THE PRIOR GOVERNOR MADE A POINT IN THE LAST TWO BUDGETS OF EXCLUDING

DEBT FROM -- FROM OUR DEBT CAP AND THAT DEBT, AS A RESULT, IS NOT IN OUR

DEBT NUMBERS AND NOT, YOU KNOW, CALCULATED AS WE LOOK AT THE OUTYEARS

OF WHAT WE HAVE UNDER THE DEBT CAP. SO I'M WONDERING IF WE HAVE A

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

NUMBER AS TO HOW MUCH OF THAT DEBT WAS ISSUED THAT IS EXCLUDED.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE. OKAY, I THINK I GOT IT NOW.

SO UNDER 2021, WE EXCLUDED $8.865 BILLION. WE ACT -- IN 2022 FISCAL

YEAR WE EXCLUDE -- WE EXCLUDED ACTUALLY $4.535 BILLION. WE PROJECT --

WELL, I GUESS THE TOTAL DEBT CAP WOULD THEN COME UP TO $17- -- JUST

UNDER $18 BILLION, $17.966-. AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR WE GO DOWN TO

$17.53-. IT CONTINUES TO GO DOWN, $17.75 MILLION, THEN $16.547 BILLION

AND CONTINUES IN 2017 [SIC] MAY GO DOWN TO $15.458 BILLION.

MR. RA: THANK YOU. SO IN TERMS OF THE DEBT CAP IN

THE OUTYEARS, WHAT YEAR DO WE GET THE CLOSEST TO HITTING THE DEBT CAP

AND HOW MUCH IS AVAILABLE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: ACCORDING TO OUR PLAN, ONCE WE

GET TO 2027 THE REMAINING CAPACITY IS PROJECTED TO BE AT $72 MILLION.

MR. RA: OKAY, AND WHAT YEAR IS THAT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: 2027.

MR. RA: OKAY, THANK YOU. SO LASTLY WITH REGARD TO,

WELL, DEBT AND THE LIKE REALLY, THIS PLAN REJECTS THE PROPOSAL FOR THE

SHORT-TERM LIQUIDITY FROM THE EXECUTIVE, CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, CORRECT.

MR. RA: THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ALONG TO

THE TAX SIDE OF THINGS --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. RA: -- AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ALL HAPPY TO

SEE THE PROPOSALS FOR TAX REDUCTIONS BY $5.7 BILLION OVER TWO YEARS,

WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $2.3 BILLION MORE THAN THE GOVERNOR'S

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PROPOSAL. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME GOOD PROPOSALS HERE. ONE I

KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME HAS TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS

AND THAT'S WITH REGARD TO THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AND MAKING IT

AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, FOR REGULAR PAYMENTS AND ALL OF THAT. BUT AS WE

HAVE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS, YOU KNOW, TAXES IN THE STATE ARE AN ISSUE.

THEY'RE PARTICULARLY SOMETHING THAT IS -- WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT RIGHT

NOW WITH INFLATION WITH RISING GAS PRICES.

SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT ISSUE AND WHAT

MEASURES, IF ANY, ARE PROPOSED SPECIFICALLY TO TRY TO FIGHT INFLATION AND

DEAL WITH THESE TYPES OF COST THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY MIDDLE-CLASS

WORKING CLASS PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH AS A RESULT OF -- OF THESE

INCREASED COSTS. SO DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THESE PROPOSED TAX CUTS IN THIS

BUDGET ARE GOING TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT AND IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO THOSE

TAXPAYERS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, WE DO. AS I MENTIONED IN

MY OPENING REMARKS, WE SPEED UP THE MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CREDIT. WE

HAVE THE REAL PROPERTY TAX -- REAL PROPERTY -- $2.2 BILLION REAL PROPERTY

TAX CREDIT. WE, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE -- THE EITC CREDIT WILL BE

ADVANCEABLE, THREE-QUARTERS OF IT, AND (INAUDIBLE) OF 25 PERCENT FOR

EACH OF THREE -- THREE QUARTERS. WE INCREASE, WE DOUBLE THE CHILD TAX

CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CHILDREN. WE ACTUALLY EXPAND THAT TO COVER

-- REMOVE THE RESTRICTION THAT IT BE ONLY FOR CHILDREN OVER AGE FOUR.

AND WE, IMPORTANTLY, SOME OF THE ISSUES FACING OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH

HIGHER UTILITY BILLS, WE HAVE $500 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE PAYMENT OF

UTILITY ARREARS. ALL OF THIS IS IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE FEDERAL SUPPORT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THAT'S AVAILABLE BOTH FOR UTILITY BILLS, BROADBAND, AND OTHER -- OTHER

PAYMENTS THAT FAMILIES HAVE BEEN RECEIVING.

MR. RA: THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA KIND OF

IN THE AGGREGATE WHAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PACKAGE OF DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW,

TAX CUTS AND PROGRAMS MIGHT MEAN FOR -- FOR AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER?

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO INFLATION, IT'S BEEN

ESTIMATED, YOU KNOW, INFLATION -- INFLATION IS NEARLY AT 8 PERCENT. IT'S

BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD, YOU KNOW, IS BASICALLY

HITTING WITH -- HIT WITH BETWEEN $296 TO $423 EACH MONTH. SO DO WE

HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE IN

TERMS OF RELIEF UNDER THESE PLANS IN THE AGGREGATE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO AVERAGE

FAMILY, SO I COULD JUST GIVE YOU SOME -- SOME NUMBERS OF LIKE -- SO FOR

THE HOMEOWNER TAX REBATE CREDIT, THE $2.2 BILLION, STATEWIDE THE

AVERAGE BENEFIT WOULD BE $866 AVERAGE BENEFIT. BECAUSE NEW YORK

CITY HAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROPERTY TAX OUT OF NEW YORK CITY, THE

AVERAGE BENEFIT WOULD BE JUST UNDER $1,000; IT WOULD BE $969.

MR. RA: ANNUALLY, CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: ANNUALLY, YES. THE EITC AND THE

CHILD TAX CREDIT, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU THINK AN AVERAGE FAMILY IS,

BUT LET'S SAY A FAMILY WITH AN INCOME OF $20,000 WOULD BE -- YOU

WOULD RECEIVE $527 UNDER OUR PLAN WITH ONE CHILD. MARRIED WITH TWO

CHILDREN, JUST UNDER $1,000 AND IT WOULD GO ON DEPENDING ON THE

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND WHETHER IT'S ONE PARENT, TWO PARENTS. THOSE

ARE A COUPLE OF THE BIG ONES. THE ACCELERATION OF THE MIDDLE-CLASS TAX

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

CUT WOULD RESULT IN FROM, I THINK ABOUT $160 TO JUST UNDER $300

DEPENDING, AGAIN, ON THE -- ON THE INCOME OF THE FAMILY. I THINK THAT IN

TERMS OF THE UTILITY ARREARS, THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY DEPEND ON THE

AMOUNT OF ARREARS AND IT'S YET -- THE MECHANICS OF THAT PROGRAM ARE YET

TO BE DESIGNED. WE ASKED THE PSC TO WORK TO HELP DESIGN A PROGRAM

THAT BUILDS ON THE -- BUILDS ON THE HEAP PROGRAM AND THE OTHER KINDS

OF PROGRAMS, BUT I THINK THOSE ARE THE MAJOR PROPOSALS GOING FORWARD.

ALSO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ARE THESE TAX -- THIS TAX

RELIEF HELP FAMILIES, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE ADDITIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE

BUDGET. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS, HOME HEALTH CARE

WORKERS IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR HOME

HEALTH CARE WORKERS FROM OUR CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE TO $22.50 AN

HOUR. THERE ARE BONUSES FOR SOME HEALTH CARE WORKERS. THERE'S A

SALARY INCREASE, 11 PERCENT, AS I MENTIONED COLA INCREASE FOR MANY

OF THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS. THERE'S CHILD CARE ELIGIBILITY INCREASE

NOW TO THE 400 PERCENT, HIGHER PERCENTAGES GOING TO LOCAL

GOVERNMENTS WHICH MAY REDUCE THE NEED FOR -- COULD POTENTIALLY

REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES. SO THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT IN HERE FOR MANY, MANY

OF NEW YORK'S RESIDENTS.

MR. RA: THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO GET INTO ONE OF

THOSE PARTICULAR PROPOSALS. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ENHANCEMENT

OF THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT HAS BEEN A POSITION CHAMPIONED BY

OUR CONFERENCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THE INCLUSION

HERE. THE MAJORITY'S PROPOSAL INCREASES THE CURRENT AMOUNT FROM 30

PERCENT TO 37.5 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL CREDIT. I'M JUST WONDERING IF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR CAN TELL US WHERE THAT NUMBER CAME FROM

AND WHETHER THERE WAS ANY CONSIDERATION WITH GOING TO 45 PERCENT AS

HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN LEGISLATION THAT WE'VE PROPOSED IN THE PAST.

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT -- IT DOES COME OUT TO BE A 25

PERCENT INCREASE. WE EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY AND I THINK IMPORTANTLY, AS

I MENTIONED, OUR COLLEAGUE HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF ADVANCING THAT --

THAT PAYMENT AND AS I MENTIONED, IT WOULD BE ADVANCEABLE IN THREE

DIFFERENT QUARTERS. AND THEN THE FINAL QUARTER BEING DETERMINED ONCE

THE TAXPAYER FILES THEIR RETURN.

MR. RA: OKAY, AND THERE'S I KNOW WITHIN THIS A

PROVISION THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE WITHOUT A SOCIAL -- WITHOUT SOCIAL

SECURITY NUMBERS TO CLAIM THIS STATE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT

DESPITE BEING PROHIBITED FROM CLAIMING THE CREDIT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

DO WE HAVE ANY DATA THAT -- IN TERMS OF HOW MANY TAXPAYERS WITHOUT A

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO CLAIM THIS CREDIT IF THIS

BUDGET WERE ENACTED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES. SO THESE WOULD BE PEOPLE

WHO HAVE A TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WOULD BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THE

STATE EITC. YOU STILL HAVE TO EARN INCOME AND FILE A TAX RETURN IN

ORDER TO RECEIVE THE CREDIT, AND WE ESTIMATE APPROXIMATELY 100,000

ADDITIONAL TAXPAYERS WOULD QUALIFY.

MR. RA: THANK YOU. THANK YOU -- THANK YOU,

CHAIR.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. RA: MR. SPEAKER, ON -- ON THE BILL.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR.

MR. RA: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW,

THERE'S A LOT IN -- IN THIS PROPOSED ONE-HOUSE BUDGET IN TERMS OF

SPENDING, A LOT OF PROGRAMS WE'VE HEARD ABOUT FOR YEARS, AND A LOT OF --

A LOT OF, FRANKLY, GOOD THINGS. BUT AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK

AT THE LAST FEW YEARS, A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK, YOU KNOW, SAW THE JUMP

IN SPENDING LAST YEAR AND SAID, HEY, WE GOT ALL THIS MONEY FROM THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC,

WE NEEDED TO GET MONEY OUT, AND ABSOLUTELY THAT WAS THE CASE. AND

WE DID THINGS TO HELP OUR HOMEOWNERS AND HELP BUSINESSES AND HELP

RENTERS, AND THAT STUFF IS CERTAINLY STILL IMPORTANT, BUT I WANT TO JUST GO

BACK TO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IN THE BEGINNING IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW,

OUR RESERVES. OUR COMPTROLLER HAS CAUTIONED US FOR YEARS WITH REGARD

TO RESERVES, WITH REGARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN COVER A SHORTFALL.

AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR AWHILE THAT MAYBE CAME IN

AROUND THE TIME I DID AFTER THE 2010 ELECTION, THAT BUDGET THE GOVERNOR

PUT FORTH TRYING TO CLOSE A HUGE BUDGET DEFICIT. AND ONE OF THE REASONS

WHY WE'RE IN THAT SITUATION AND THEN WERE AGAIN IN THAT SITUATION TWO

YEARS AGO OF POTENTIALLY HAVING TO CUT $10 BILLION WAS THAT WE DON'T

HAVE MONEY STOCKED AWAY IN THESE RESERVE FUNDS.

SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOT MAKING SURE THAT'S

THERE FOR AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SITUATION

THAT'S UNFOLDING IN THIS WORLD RIGHT NOW, TO GO OVER A 10 PERCENT

INCREASE IN STATE SPENDING, I'M NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL

MONEY THAT WE KNOW THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE IN THE FUTURE, BUT IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

STATE SPENDING, I'M NOT SURE IT'S SUSTAINABLE AND AT SOME POINT THAT'S

GOING TO FALL DOWN ON THE HEADS OF THE TAXPAYERS IN NEW YORK STATE.

THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

MR. SMULLEN.

MR. SMULLEN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WOULD

THE SPONSOR YIELD, PLEASE?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE SPONSOR YIELDS,

SIR.

MR. SMULLEN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR

WEINSTEIN. I WANTED TO CONTINUE WHAT MY COLLEAGUE WAS DISCUSSING

HAVING TO DO WITH DEBT THAT THE STATE IS INCURRING IN THIS BUDGET AND

DISCUSS ITS LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS, AND THEN FIND OUT WHAT THE INTENT OF

THE LEGISLATURE IN THIS RESOLUTION IS TO SPEND THAT MONEY. I'M REFERRING

TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT OF 2022. CAN YOU -- CAN YOU REFLECT

ON HOW WE'VE GONE FROM $3 BILLION TO $4 BILLION TO NOW TO $5 BILLION

IN THIS RESOLUTION?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, WE -- FIRST OF ALL THE, YOU

KNOW, THAT WOULD FIRST GO TO THE -- THE VOTERS, AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF

THE ECONOMIC CONDITION WE DID NOT -- IT WAS NOT ON THE BALLOT SO AT FIRST

IT WOULD GO TO THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER AND THE PLAN TO -- WE DON'T HAVE

A DISCRETE PLAN HOW TO SPEND IT. IT WOULD BE SPENT OVER A NUMBER OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

YEARS. WE WENT A BILLION OVER THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION. WE

THINK THAT THERE ARE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WOULD

QUALIFY AND IT WOULD BE $5 BILLION OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT THE

BOND ACT WOULD BE -- WOULD BE FUNDING PROGRAMS.

MR. SMULLEN: AND CURRENTLY, THE DEBT, THE STATE

DEBT IS SOMEWHERE AROUND $69 BILLION. THIS AUTHORIZATION FOR

INCREASED DEBT WOULD TAKE THAT NUMBER UP TO AT LEAST $74 BILLION?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE ARE JUST $150 MILLION ABOVE

THE GOVERNOR.

MR. SMULLEN: OH NO, I'M SORRY. I'M TALKING ABOUT

AGGREGATE STATE DEBT THAT WE HAVE TO PAY BACK. IN THIS CASE, THIS -- THIS

ADDITIONAL BOND THAT WOULD BE AUTHORIZED, WOULD THAT BE PAID BACK

OVER 30 YEARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE AUTHORIZE

THE BOND ACT, BUT UNTIL THE MONEY IS SPENT WE'RE NOT -- THERE'S NO PLAN

FOR IT YET SO IT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR IN -- IN THE FIGURES THAT --

MR. SMULLEN: BUT WILL IT BE IN THE FUTURE

PROSPECTIVELY GOING FORWARD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, HOPEFULLY -- HOPEFULLY IT WILL

BE. HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE ADOPTED BY THE VOTERS AND WE'LL -- WE'LL THEN

BE ABLE TO, AS A LEGISLATURE AND WITH THE EXECUTIVE COME UP WITH A

PLAN OF HOW TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS.

MR. SMULLEN: WELL CERTAINLY, WE WANT TO MAKE

THE CASE TO THE VOTERS AS TO WHATEVER YOUR OPINION OF THE BOND IS, BUT

WHAT WOULD THE APPROXIMATE, THE TOTAL PAYBACK -- WE WANT TO BORROW

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

$5 BILLION, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY BACK OVER, SAY, 30 YEARS

TO PAY FOR THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE AUTHORIZED FOR THIS

SPENDING?

MS. WEINSTEIN: RIGHT NOW IN THE CAPITAL PLAN

THERE ISN'T -- IT'S REALLY -- THE BOND ACT HAS TO GET APPROVED. THERE'S NO

SPENDING ON THAT LINED OUT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WE WOULD HAVE TO

THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE APPROVAL TO SPEND UP TO THE $5 BILLION WE WOULD

THEN COME BACK AND FIGURE OUT AND ADDRESS HOW WE WANT TO SPEND THAT

MONEY, WHETHER WE WANT TO SPEND ALL OF IT OR JUST A SMALL PORTION OF IT.

IT'S AN AUTHORIZATION OF THE BOND, IT'S NOT THE -- THE STATE ISN'T WRITING

THE CHECK. I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WANT TO SPEND IT ALL, BUT THERE IS NO

PLAN YET HOW TO SPEND THAT.

MR. SMULLEN: WELL I CERTAINLY THINK, YOU KNOW,

THE VOTERS NEED TO DECIDE THAT. BUT AS WE LOOK AT THIS -- THE PROPOSED

SPENDING AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE -- IN THE RESOLUTION, HOW DO YOU

DEFINE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE? I SEE A COUPLE BILLION DOLLARS THAT'S

GOING TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, I THINK IT'S AREAS THAT HAVE

BEEN HARMED BY THE ENVIRONMENT. THE AREAS, THERE ARE NUMEROUS

STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT ASTHMA RATES ARE INCREASED IN COMMUNITIES

WHERE THERE IS SMOG, TRUCK TRAFFIC. THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE

BEEN DISADVANTAGED. THERE WAS A RECENT REPORT IN THE NEW YORK

TIMES ABOUT AREAS, THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN AREAS WHERE IN WEALTHIER

AREAS THERE WERE TREES THAT GENERATED MORE OXYGEN AND COMMUNITIES

THAT WERE MORE DISADVANTAGED IN NEW YORK CITY, ECONOMICALLY

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

DISADVANTAGED HAD FEWER TREES, POORER AIR QUALITY. SO THOSE ARE A

COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THE KIND OF ISSUES THAT WOULD -- THAT YOU COULD

TALK ABOUT AS ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY ISSUES.

MR. SMULLEN: SO AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

COMMUNITY PERHAPS WOULD NOT INCLUDE AN AREA SUCH AS MINE WHERE

THERE ARE LOTS OF TREES, BUT DECAYING INFRASTRUCTURE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: ACTUALLY DEC JUST RELEASED A

MAP SHOWING THE AREAS THAT WOULD -- ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED

IN TERMS OF CLIMATE, SO -- AND IT'S OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. I'D BE

HAPPY TO SHARE THE LINK WITH YOU AFTER WE FINISH SPEAKING.

MR. SMULLEN: WELL CERTAINLY, THAT -- CERTAINLY

THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK THROUGH THE VARIOUS AREAS THAT

WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS, ONE OF THEM IS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF OPEN

LAND THAT'S CONSERVED. DO YOU THINK THAT WE NEED MORE THAN 19

PERCENT OF LAND IN NEW YORK STATE AFFECTED BY THE STATE,

STATE-INFLUENCED PROCESS FOR THE LAND USAGE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA WE'VE,

BASED ON INPUT FROM OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION CHAIR,

ASSEMBLYMAN ENGLEBRIGHT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ARE -- THAT WE ARE IN

OUR HOUSE, MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT.

MR. SMULLEN: CERTAINLY, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS

WE LOOK AT THE OTHER INITIATIVES FOR HARD INFRASTRUCTURE -- INFRASTRUCTURE

THAT ARE IN THIS ACT, WHAT IS THE APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE THAT'S

PROGRAMMED TO GO TO UPSTATE NEW YORK? I JUST DID SOME BACK OF THE

ENVELOPE CALCULATIONS AFTER REVIEWING THIS AND IT LOOKS ABOUT 80

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PERCENT OF IT IS GOING TO GO TO NEW YORK CITY AREAS. HOW MUCH DO

YOU THINK IS GOING TO GO TO, PER CAPITA, TO EACH OF THE CITIZENS IN THE

STATE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S

NOT YET DELINEATED SO THAT IT'S -- EVERY PART OF OUR STATE IS ELIGIBLE FOR

FUNDING.

MR. SMULLEN: EVERY PART IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE $5

BILLION IN FUNDING HERE, AND THEN --

MS. WEINSTEIN: BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN YET

HOW TO SPEND IT.

MR. SMULLEN: BUT WE'RE GOING TO -- BUT WE'RE

CERTAINLY GOING TO MAKE ONE AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS

BODY, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND VOTE ON IT INDIVIDUALLY FOR EACH OF THE

PROJECTS OR FOR IN THE GENERAL, FUND BY FUND?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, FOR

EXAMPLE, THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE BOND ACT, WE'RE STILL -- WE'RE FIRST IN

THE FOURTH YEAR AND STILL SPENDING MONEY OF THAT AND WE STILL HAVE MORE

FUNDS LEFT TO SPEND, SO IT DOES TAKE TIME FOR THAT FUNDING TO GET

ALLOCATED, APPROVED, DESIGNATED FOR AREAS AND NEXT YEAR IF THIS BOND

ACT PASSES WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION ON HOW TO

SPEND SOME OF THAT MONEY.

MR. SMULLEN: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.

MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,

SIR.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. SMULLEN: SO WHAT I SEE WE HAVE HERE IS A

BOND ACT THAT'S GOING TO OBLIGATE UP TO $5 BILLION WHICH IS GOING TO ADD

TO THE AGGREGATE DEBT THAT NEW YORK STATE IS REQUIRED TO PAY BACK.

TYPICALLY, DEBT LIKE THIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INTEREST RATE WILL BE FOR

NEW YORK STATE PAID BACK OVER 30 YEARS. MY SON WHO IS 12 YEARS OLD

TODAY WILL BE 42 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS MONEY IS ACTUALLY PAID BACK IN

FULL TO THE INSTITUTIONS FROM WHICH IT'S BORROWED. AND I HAVE SOME

REALLY GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHY THIS HAS GOING FROM $3 BILLION TO $4

BILLION TO $5 MILLION [SIC], ESPECIALLY IN A BUDGET YEAR WHERE WE'RE

LOOKING AT SPENDING SOMEWHERE TO THE NORTH OF $220 BILLION. WHEN I

FIRST CAME TO THIS BODY IN 2019, THAT'S UP 20-PLUS PERCENT IN JUST THAT

SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE OF ADDING TO

A STATE'S DEBT LOAD WHICH IS ALREADY THE HIGHEST IN THE UNITED STATES PER

CAPITA, PER CITIZEN. AND PARTICULARLY, FOR A STATE SPENDING BUDGET

WHICH IS EQUAL TO THAT OF CALIFORNIA WHICH HAS TWICE THE POPULATION, OR

EQUAL TO THE STATES OF TEXAS AND FLORIDA WHICH HAS DOUBLE THE

POPULATION BUT TOGETHER HAVE THE SAME POPULATION AS NEW YORK STATE.

TO ME, THIS SEEMS TO BE LIKE RECKLESS ICING ON -- ON A

BLOATED CAKE WHICH HAS TO BE REINED IN IN SOME FASHION. WHAT'S EVEN

MORE CONCERNING IS THAT THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IS ALSO BORROWED MONEY

WHICH IS CLAIMED ON THE BACK OF TAXPAYERS THROUGH BONDS THAT ARE

ISSUED WITH A FULL FAITH AND CREDIT OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

AND WE, IN FACT, IN THIS BODY ARE TAKING A BIG BUDGET FROM THE

GOVERNOR AND ADDING MORE TO IT AND THEN PERSPECTIVELY ADDING UP TO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

$5 BILLION MORE OF DEBT WHICH MUST BE PAID OUT OVER THE FUTURE.

TO ME, THIS IS FISCALLY RECKLESS. IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE

THAT WE'RE TAKING MONEY RIGHT NOW FROM OUR CITIZENS WHOSE RATE OF

INFLATION OF 8 PERCENT IS EATING UP THEIR WAGES EVERY DAY IN GAS PRICES,

IN COMMODITY PRICES, IN FOOD PRICES WHICH THEY CANNOT AFFORD AND, IN

FACT, WE SHOULD REIN OUR SPENDING IN AND GIVE THAT MONEY BACK TO OUR

CITIZENS SO THEY CAN LIVE BETTER. INSTEAD OF A REGRESSIVE INFLATIONARY TAX

ON EVERYONE, WE OUGHT TO CURB OUR SPENDING, PARTICULARLY FOR THIS $5

BILLION GREEN SLUSH FUND WHICH IS UNDEFINED WHICH HAS TO BE PAID BACK

AND WHICH WILL FURTHER ONLY ADD TO THE FISCAL STRESS OF NEW YORK STATE

GOING FORWARD.

I URGE EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR

CHILDREN'S CHILDREN WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY SUCH POLICIES, AND IN A YEAR

WHEN OUR TAX RECEIPTS ARE UP MORE THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN, THAT THAT IS

THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT BEING PRUDENT FISCALLY AND TO NOT OBLIGATE

OURSELVES TO FUTURE DEBT TO ADD TO AN ALREADY HIGH BURDEN THAT WE

ALREADY HAVE. FOR THAT REASON, I WILL OBVIOUSLY BE VOTING AGAINST THIS

RESOLUTION AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SPEAKER, AND MADAM CHAIR

FOR YOUR TIME.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

MS. WALSH.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE

SPONSOR YIELD?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN

YIELDS.

MS. WALSH: THAT'S WONDERFUL. I JUST HAVE A FEW

QUESTIONS FOR YOU, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO EDUCATION AT LEAST TO START

WITH. SO LIKE MOST INDUSTRY, THE EDUCATION SECTOR IS FACING SIGNIFICANT

LABOR SHORTAGES ACROSS THE BOARD, EVEN AS WE REVERT TOWARDS

PRE-PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS. THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE

BUDGET PROPOSAL PROVIDED VARIOUS MECHANISMS TO INCENTIVIZE AND

STREAMLINE THE PROCESS OF ON BOARDING MORE TEACHERS TO THE PUBLIC

SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT IN THIS ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE BILL THOSE PROVISIONS

HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET, REINVIGORATING CONCERNS THAT OUR

SCHOOLS WON'T BE ADEQUATELY STAFFED TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN IN THE

COMING SCHOOL YEARS. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE

GOVERNOR ARE UNABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES

OUTSIDE THE BUDGET? AS THINGS CURRENTLY STAND, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT

WE'VE GOT ADEQUATE STAFFING LEVELS IN OUR SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT

STUDENTS DO NOT EXPERIENCE LEARNING LOSS OR LOWER QUALITY TEACHING IN

THE FORTHCOMING SCHOOL YEARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO I THINK THAT SHORT ANSWER ON

THE BUDGET LANGUAGE THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAD THAT WE REMOVED IS --

RELATES NOT JUST TO THIS SUBJECT AREA, BUT IN GENERAL WE'VE REMOVED ALL

POLICY FROM THE BUDGET. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AS A

LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL. JUST -- ITS REMOVAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE'RE

NECESSARILY IN LOTS OF PLACES, THE REMOVAL OFTEN DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

OPPOSED TO THE POLICY, BUT THAT WE BELIEVE THAT POLICY IS BEST DISCUSSED

OUTSIDE THE BUDGET. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS INCREASE

WITH THE FOUNDATION AID, UPK, SO WE ARE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL -- WE

PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE -- FOR THE SCHOOL

SYSTEMS AROUND THE STATE, BUT THAT PARTICULAR -- THE PARTICULAR PROPOSAL

AS IT RELATES TO MAKING CHANGES IN TERMS OF HIRING, FIRING, IS -- WELL,

REALLY HIRING, WILL BE DISCUSSED OUTSIDE THE BUDGET.

MS. WALSH: SO IN YOUR OPINION, THEN, THE ABSENCE

OF THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION OF THE REMOVAL FROM THE GOVERNOR'S

PROPOSAL IS NOT AN INDICATION THAT THE ASSEMBLY ISN'T MINDFUL OF THE

TEACHER SHORTAGE AND -- AND ALSO, THERE HAD BEEN CONCERNS EXPRESSED

FROM THE TEACHERS, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT INCREASING CLASSROOM SIZE AS OUR

KIDS GET BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AGAIN, THOSE PROBLEMS THAT PREEXISTED

COVID ARE STILL -- ARE STILL THERE. SO I WELCOME A CHANCE TO -- I

PERSONALLY THINK THAT REMOVING POLICY FROM THE BUDGET IS, GENERALLY

SPEAKING, A GOOD IDEA. I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE

THAT DISCUSSION AS FAR AS -- BECAUSE THE BUDGET WE KNOW IS A -- IS A SET

OF PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE ADVANCING, TOO, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE. AND THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED

IN THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND I THINK A LOT OF -- I CERTAINLY AGREE

WITH A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT CLASSROOM SIZE. MY MOM WAS A

TEACHER, I HEARD FROM IT -- HEARD ABOUT IT SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID ABOUT

HOW MANY KIDS WERE IN THE CLASS, SO SOMETHING I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH

YOU ABOUT.

MS. WALSH: AND AS A MEMBER OF THE EDUCATION

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

COMMITTEE, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE BILLS. THANK YOU.

THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE DOES ALSO RELATE TO

EDUCATION. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PROPOSAL REGARDING ELECTRIFYING THE

SCHOOL BUS FLEET. SO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE BUDGET PROPOSAL

MANDATES THAT ALL NEW SCHOOL BUS ACQUISITIONS ON OR AFTER JULY 1ST,

2027 MUST UTILIZE ELECTRIC OR HYDROGEN-BASED PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY.

SO ACHIEVEMENT OF 100 PERCENT ELECTRIC BUSES BY 2035, BUT I KNOW THAT

-- I NOTED THAT THE ONE-HOUSE BUDGET DID HAVE SOME LANGUAGE TO ALLOW

FOR A DELAY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE PROCEEDINGS. COULD YOU

JUST TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE. SO THE COMMISSIONER CAN

DELAY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REQUIREMENT IF SHE FINDS THAT THE

TECHNOLOGY IS NOT UP TO THE TASK OR IF THE EXPENSE IS HIGHER THAN THE

EXPENSE OF DIESEL BUSES. SO THAT'S CERTAINLY -- THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE

ELECTRIFICATION OF -- OF THE SCHOOL BUSES BUT IT'S NOT A HARD RIGHT LINE THAT

DISTRICTS WILL BE PENALIZED IN ANY WAY BASED ON THE TWO FACTORS. I

MENTION BOTH THE EXPENSE IS HIGHER OR THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT UP TO THE

TASK.

MS. WALSH: SO OVER TIME -- I APPRECIATE THAT.

OVER TIME, THERE'S A SENSE THAT ELECTRIFICATION OF THE SCHOOL BUSES WILL

PROVIDE A COST SAVINGS --

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MS. WALSH: -- EVENTUALLY, BUT DOES THE ASSEMBLY'S

BUDGET PROPOSAL PROVIDE ANY BRIDGE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS SO THAT

THIS MANDATE DOES NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THEIR FINANCES IN THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SHORT-TERM?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SINCE, YOU KNOW, THE

TRANSPORTATION IS A REIMBURSABLE STATE AID EXPENSE UNDER THE -- YOU

KNOW, IN TERMS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SO THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD BE SEEING

THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION. AND -- AND YOU'RE CORRECT IN

SAYING THAT IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THE COST WOULD, OVER TIME, BE LOWER

THAN USING THE -- THE DIESEL FUELS.

MS. WALSH: SPEAKING ABOUT BUSES AND I THINK WE

HAD SOME DISCUSSION ALREADY TODAY ABOUT GAS PRICES. I WAS SPEAKING

WITH A SUPERINTENDENT OF ONE OF OUR LOCAL BOCES THE OTHER DAY WHO

JUST ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT WITH -- WITH GAS PRICES REALLY THROUGH

THE ROOF LIKE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW AND IF THEY DON'T MODERATE, FUEL COSTS

FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RUN, PARTICULARLY UPSTATE WHERE THERE'S A LOT MORE

DRIVING IN OUR RURAL AREAS TO PICK UP OUR KIDS TO GET THEM TO AND FROM

SCHOOL. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT

CONCERN?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE

TRANSPORTATION IS REIMBURSABLE, RIGHT, SO THAT -- AND THAT DOES FLUCTUATE

YEAR TO YEAR. AND WE DO HAVE THAT INCREASE IN FOUNDATION AID, IT'S

OVER $2 BILLION IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT AID, EDUCATION AID TO

MONIES THAT WE ARE ADDING ABOVE LAST YEAR.

MS. WALSH: SO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT SETUP IS GOING

TO BE ENOUGH SUFFICIENT TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED ABOUT

THE INCREASE IN GAS COSTS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DO, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

KNOW WHERE GAS PRICES WILL BE EVEN A MONTH -- NEXT WEEK, LET ALONE

TOMORROW EVEN, LET ALONE, YOU KNOW, A MONTH FROM NOW OR THE END OF

THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE FUNDING AVAILABLE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND NOW, LIKE THEY SAY, FOR

SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

MS. WEINSTEIN: OKAY.

MS. WALSH: I'M GOING TO SWITCH COMPLETELY AWAY

FROM EDUCATION FOR A MOMENT AND I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A PART OF

THE BUDGET THAT REALLY STUCK OUT FOR ME AND IT HAS TO DO WITH A PROPOSAL

THAT WOULD PROVIDE FREE PHONE CALLS FOR ALL INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN

STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND WOULD ALLOW FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE 90

MINUTE PHONE CALL PER DAY. SO DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY MINUTES - I

DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, I'M ASKING YOU - DO YOU KNOW HOW

MANY MINTERS PER TELEPHONE CALL ARE CURRENTLY AFFORDED TO INDIVIDUALS

IN CUSTODY?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THIRTY MINUTES.

MS. WALSH: THIRTY MINUTES, OKAY. SO THIS WOULD

TRIPLE THAT IF MY MATH IS CORRECT, OKAY. HOW MANY MORE TELEPHONES,

DO YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDED TO THE FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE

THIS PROPOSAL?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, AND LET ME

EXPLAIN WHERE --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS. IT'S A

CONTRACT TO -- THERE'S A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE THE TELEPHONE SERVICE IN THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

FACILITIES AND WHAT HAPPENED IS IT'S NOT JUST THE INSTALLATION OF A PHONE.

THERE'S INVOLVEMENT IF MONITORING, NOT LISTENING, MONITORING BUT AS TO

MAKE SURE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, A VICTIM ISN'T -- ISN'T CALLED, THAT OTHER --

THAT IT'S NOT BEING USED FOR ANY KIND OF ILLICIT ACTIVITY. SO THERE -- IT'S

MORE THAN JUST -- MORE THAN JUST THROWING A NICKEL IN THE PHONE BOOTH

FOR THOSE OF US OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT TIME, BUT IT IS THE

STATEWIDE CONTRACT THAT WILL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM IN ALL THE FACILITIES.

MS. WALSH: BUT THE INMATES AREN'T GOING TO BE

RECEIVING ANY KIND OF BURNER PHONES OR CELL PHONES TO MAKE THESE

CALLS, THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE AT LEAST CAPABLE OF BEING MONITORED,

CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, YES.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. I JUST SAW ONE OF MY

COLLEAGUES WHO HAS A BACKGROUND IN CORRECTIONS KIND OF GIVING ME THE

EYEBROWS UP ON THAT ONE. IT'S A QUESTION. I MEAN, IF THERE ARE GOING TO

BE INMATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ALLOWED TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF TIME TO

MAKE PHONE CALLS, IT'S -- I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK HOW THAT'S

GOING TO GET IMPLEMENTED. SO THE ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE INCLUDES AN

ADDITIONAL $9.9 MILLION FOR DOCS TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROPOSAL. HOW

WAS THAT $9.9 MILLION CALCULATED AND WAS THIS FIGURE CALCULATED WITH

INPUT FROM DOCS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S A $60 MILLION CONTRACT OVER

FIVE YEARS. SO YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S A CONTRACTED OUT PROGRAM SO, YOU

KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH EACH FACILITY, BUT THERE'S GENERALLY A

COST OF JUST BUILDING UP THE SYSTEM AND WHATEVER MONITORING IS GOING

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TO -- NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

MS. WALSH: SO AS OF FRIDAY, MARCH 11TH, LAST

FRIDAY, THERE WERE 1,672 INMATES IN ATTICA ALONE. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT

DOCS FACILITIES HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ACCOMMODATE A LARGE

INCREASE IN VOLUME RELATED TO USE OF TELEPHONES?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YOU KNOW, WE -- WE THINK THAT

THE CONTRACT WILL ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, WHETHER THERE'S A NEED FOR

ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WITHIN SOME OF THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES OR IF WHAT

EXISTS IS SUFFICIENT. THERE'S NOT BEEN A SORT OF CORRECTION FACILITY BY

FACILITY ANALYSIS YET DONE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: AND, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATION

CHANGES OBVIOUSLY. IT'S ACTUALLY, OBVIOUSLY HAS GONE DOWN OVER THE --

MS. WALSH: IT'S DECREASED.

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- PAST HANDFUL OF YEARS.

MS. WALSH: MM-HMM. SO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

THIS INITIATIVE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY APRIL 1ST, 2023, AFFORDING

ABOUT A YEAR TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSAL. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT'S

ENOUGH TIME FOR THIS CONTRACT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE IN ALL 44 OF ITS

FACILITIES?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES; YES, WE DO.

MS. WALSH: OKAY, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO,

MUCH --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MS. WALSH: -- CHAIR WEINSTEIN.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,

MS. WALSH.

MS. WALSH: AS ALWAYS, I APPRECIATE THE CHAIR'S

WILLINGNESS TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT COVER REALLY THE

WHOLE GAMBIT. THIS ONE-HOUSE BUDGET IS VAST, YOU KNOW, IT'S VAST IN

SCOPE. WE WERE BRIEFED ON IT THIS MORNING BY OUR EXCELLENT STAFF AND

-- BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT TO DIG INTO. THOSE WERE THINGS THAT JUST KIND OF

JUMPED OUT AT ME.

MY OVERALL FEELING ABOUT THE ONE-HOUSE BUDGET,

THOUGH, IS AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES RECENTLY SAID, IT'S JUST -- IT CAN BE

SUMMED UP IN THREE WORDS: IT'S TOO MUCH SPENDING. IT'S TOO MUCH

SPENDING. AND IT SEEMS TO ME RATHER TONE DEAF CONSIDERING THE

DIFFICULTIES THAT AVERAGE NEW YORKERS ARE FACING IN TERMS OF WHAT LIFE

COSTS FOR THEM RIGHT NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT THERE WAS AN

ANSWER GIVEN IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS

MORE MONEY TO SPEND. WELL, JUST BECAUSE THERE IS MORE MONEY TO

SPEND DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD SPEND IT. I'M GRATEFUL THAT THERE

HAVE BEEN SOME INITIATIVES PUT INTO PLACE TO GIVE SOME TAX RELIEF BUT,

YOU KNOW, A BUDGET THAT WAS $212 BILLION LAST YEAR THAT IS PROPOSED TO

BE $226 BILLION THE FOLLOWING YEAR, IS -- IT'S TOO MUCH SPENDING. IT IS

TOO MUCH SPENDING. I CAN'T SUPPORT IT. THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY THINGS IN

THE ONE-HOUSE BILL THAT I LOVE THAT I THINK ARE GREAT, BUT OVERALL IT'S TOO

MUCH. I THINK THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE A FAR, FAR BETTER JOB TO REIN IT IN

AND THIS TYPE OF BLOATED SPENDING IS REALLY NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

NEW YORKERS OVERALL AND I CAN'T SUPPORT IT FOR THAT REASON. THANK YOU,

MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU.

MR. SMITH.

MR. SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE

CHAIRWOMAN YIELD FOR A COUPLE QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. SMITH: THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO BACK TO

EDUCATION --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. SMITH: -- JUST A FEW QUESTIONS HERE. SO THE

PROPOSAL I'M SEEING HAS, IN THE ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE, HAS THE

FOUNDATION AID PHASED IN NOT THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR BUT THE

FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR. SO ON AGGREGATE, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH

SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE STILL OWED FOR THEIR FOUNDATION AID APPORTIONMENT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: AFTER WE ADOPT THIS BUDGET, $1.5

BILLION.

MR. SMITH: OKAY. NOW, DO YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS

JUST A QUESTION ABOUT THE SPENDING, COULD WE HAVE POSSIBLY USED

DISCRETIONARY FEDERAL FUNDS PROVIDED TO THE STATE IN THE AMERICAN

RESCUE PLAN ACT TO POSSIBLY ACCELERATE THE PHASE-IN? IS THAT

SOMETHING THAT WAS PERMITTED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE HAVE BEEN USING FEDERAL --

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

WE HAVE BEEN USING FEDERAL MONEY CERTAINLY THE FIRST YEAR OF THE

FOUNDATION AID, SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO DRAW DOWN THAT MONEY AS,

YOU KNOW, THAT MONEY, WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL YEARS TO SPEND THAT

MONEY SO -- BUT IT WILL BE AN EXPENSE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BUILD INTO

THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD.

MR. SMITH: OKAY. NOW, THE STATE EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT HAS ACTUALLY CALLED ON A STUDY ON THE COMPONENTS OF THE

FOUNDATION AID FORMULA AND NOW AS WE MOVE TO FULLY FUND THE

FORMULA, I THINK THIS STUDY IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ACTUALLY CONDUCT THIS

STUDY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY KIND OF STUDY

INCLUDED IN THE ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT ON THE

WHOLE AND AS WE GO FORWARD THAT IT WOULD BE ACTUALLY NECESSARY AND

PROBABLY PRUDENT THAT WE STUDY THIS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER? IS THAT

SOMETHING --

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE

REALLY WANT TO DO IS FULLY FUND FOUNDATION AID, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO

LOOK AND SEE IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL NEEDS OR WHETHER THAT -- THE FULLY

FUNDING OF FOUNDATION AID MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT. AND AS YOU

KNOW WELL, MR. SMITH, THE -- THERE ARE MANY -- THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES

OF REVENUES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE FOUNDATION AID.

AND I DID MENTION THAT WE HAD $150 MILLION ABOVE THE GOVERNOR FOR

UNIVERSAL PRE-K. I TALKED WITH ASSEMBLYWOMAN WALSH ABOUT THE

TRANSPORTATION FUNDS. THERE ARE OTHER DESIGNATED FUNDS THAT ALSO -- WE

ALSO HAVE AN INCREASE THAT GO TO THE SCHOOL, MANY OF THE SCHOOL

DISTRICTS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. SMITH: ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK THAT'S

SOMETHING WELCOME ESPECIALLY IN THE SUBURBS WHERE I COME FROM, THE

PEOPLE I REPRESENT, WHERE, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATION AID AND THE OTHER

REIMBURSABLE NEEDS ARE NEEDED TO OFFSET THE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX

INVESTMENT WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT. SO I THINK EVERYBODY APPRECIATES

THAT, ABSOLUTELY.

SO NOW IF I CAN MOVE ON TO THE SPECIAL ACT SCHOOLS.

NOW, ONE THING THAT -- AS WE SPEAK TO PROVIDERS OF THE 853 SCHOOLS

AND THE 4410 SCHOOLS AND OTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WE FIND

THAT THERE'S TROUBLE BEING COMPETITIVE WITH SALARIES. AND MS. WALSH

MENTIONED TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR A PENDING TEACHER

SHORTAGE, SUBSTITUTE TEACHER SHORTAGE. SO MY QUESTION, YOU KNOW, I'M

GLAD TO SEE THAT THE MAJORITY INCLUDED AN ENROLLMENT ADJUSTMENT FACTOR

TO BE APPLIED TO THE TUITION RECONCILIATION PROCESS FOR THESE PROVIDERS IF

THEIR ENROLLMENT CHANGES BY 5 PERCENT OR MORE; HOWEVER, YOU KNOW,

RATHER THAN LOWERING THE ENROLLMENT ADJUSTMENT FACTOR FROM THE CURRENT

7.5 PERCENT TO 5 PERCENT FOR ONE YEAR, WHY ARE WE NOT EXTENDING THIS

PROVISION PERMANENTLY SO THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS HAVE GREATER

FINANCIAL PREDICTABILITY? IS THAT SOMETHING MAYBE GOING FORWARD WE

CAN LOOK TO MAKE PERMANENT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: RIGHT, CERTAINLY WE CAN HAVE

THOSE DISCUSSIONS AS -- AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE TALKED ABOUT THE

TEACHER RETENTION OR SALARY. THOSE -- THE TEACHERS AND THOSE, THE 553

[SIC] SCHOOLS, THE 4410 SCHOOLS, THEY ARE UNDER OUR PROPOSAL WILL HAVE

A 11 PERCENT INCREASE IN SALARY. WE BUILD ON THE GOVERNOR'S 5 PERCENT.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

IT'S JUST PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL SO THAT SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW,

BY HAVING A SALARY INCREASE IT HELPS RETAIN EXISTING TEACHERS BUT IT ALSO

BECOMES AN INCENTIVE FOR EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL TO TAKE A JOB IN THE

FIRST PLACE.

MR. SMITH: OKAY GREAT, AND THAT ACTUALLY GOES INTO

MY NEXT QUESTION BECAUSE I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT. I GUESS, WOULD

THAT BE PART OF $23.8 MILLION COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, IS THAT WHAT

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? FOR DEAF AND BLIND SCHOOLS, BECAUSE I SEE THAT

THAT'S --

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, YES, YES.

MR. SMITH: OKAY. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY

WELCOME AT THIS TIME AND AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO PROVIDE THE BEST

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. NOW, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS COST OF

LIVING ADJUSTMENT, DO WE KNOW AT THIS TIME IS THAT GOING TO BE A

ONE-YEAR PROGRAM OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN KIND OF COUNT ON

BECAUSE I KNOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE REALLY, AS I THINK WE ALL KNOW, THESE

SCHOOLS ARE REAL IN DIRE NEED OF THIS FUNDING.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO GOING FORWARD, WE WILL BE --

THE SPECIAL ED SCHOOL DISTRICT INCREASES WILL GO ALONG WITH INCREASES IN

GENERAL ED FUNDING SO AS THE GENERAL FUND INCREASES, THOSE SPECIAL ED

SCHOOLS WILL INCREASE ALSO.

MR. SMITH: OKAY, OKAY. AND I'M HOPING THAT

GOING FORWARD IN THE ENACTED BUDGET AND FUTURE BUDGETS THAT WE CAN

DEFINITELY BUILD ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL

AGREE ON TO -- TO GIVE THAT ADDITIONAL. MY FINAL QUESTION WITH RESPECT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TO MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, A TOPIC

ESPECIALLY EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC. THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE

BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDED $100 MILLION FOR THIS PURPOSE THROUGH THE

RECOVS GRANT PROGRAM, AND THE ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE BUDGET PROPOSED

TODAY INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT STATEWIDE. WITH

RESPECT TO THAT PROGRAM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT INCLUDES BOCES

PROGRAMS AS BEING ELIGIBLE FOR THAT FUNDING BECAUSE AS WE FOUND -- AS

WE FIND ACROSS THE STATE, BOCES IS ACTUALLY DEALING WITH A NUMBER OF,

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES AS WELL

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN ANY

INCREASE.

MS. WEINSTEIN: NOT -- THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFICALLY

FOR BOCES, THOUGH OBVIOUSLY THOSE STUDENTS ALSO LIVE WITHIN A SCHOOL

DISTRICT SO THAT THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THAT SCHOOL

DISTRICT.

MR. SMITH: OKAY, THAT'S GREAT. SO MAYBE GOING

FORWARD WE CAN MAYBE INCLUDE THAT -- OR MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR

BECAUSE I THINK THE INTENTION IS THERE AND AS YOU MENTIONED, STUDENTS

DO HAVE HOME SCHOOLED DISTRICTS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH,

CHAIRWOMAN. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. GALLAHAN.

MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL

THE SPONSOR YIELD?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE SPONSOR YIELDS,

SIR.

MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR WEINSTEIN.

MY QUESTIONS PERTAIN TO GAMING. IN 2017, THE SENECA NATION STOPPED

REMITTING PAYMENTS TO THE STATE OVER A DISPUTE ON THE LANGUAGE IN THEIR

CONTRACT -- IT WAS A COMPACT, ACTUALLY. THIS DISPUTE WENT INTO

ARBITRATION AND RECENTLY THE SENECA NATION ANNOUNCED IT'S DROPPING ITS

LEGAL BATTLE WITH NEW YORK AND WILL BEGIN MAKING PAYMENTS TO THE

STATE HELD IN ESCROW THROUGHOUT THE DISPUTE OVER THEIR CLAIMS REVENUE.

SO MY QUESTION IS HOW MUCH IS OWED NEW YORK STATE AND HOW MUCH

IS OWED THE MUNICIPALITIES?

(PAUSE)

MS. WEINSTEIN: FOR THE STATE, I BELIEVE IT'S OVER

$500 MILLION.

MR. GALLAHAN: AND THE MUNICIPALITIES?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I THINK THAT THE NUMBER INCLUDES

THE MUNICIPALITIES. BUT WE GET THE MONEY AND THEN DISTRIBUTE IT.

MR. GALLAHAN: RIGHT, CORRECT. THANK YOU VERY

MUCH. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THIS FUNDING AND WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE

THE STATE MAKING THE LOCALS WHOLE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IN TERMS OF A DATE, THAT WE CAN'T

DO. WE KNOW THAT THE MONEY WILL BE AVAILABLE -- POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE

WITH -- BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN ESCROW SO THEY'RE PAYING IT INTO AN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

ESCROW FUND. BUT IN TERMS OF A DATE, THAT I CAN'T TELL YOU.

MR. GALLAHAN: OKAY, I SEE. THE ASSEMBLY

ONE-HOUSE ALLOWS FOR REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL SPORTS WAGERING LICENSES

TO BE ISSUED AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS THE TAX RATE THE SAME AS THE CURRENT

PROVIDERS OR WILL IT CHANGE DEPENDING ON HOW MANY LICENSES ARE

ACTUALLY ISSUED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE ARE NOT CHANGING ANY OF THE

RATES, SO THE COMMISSION WILL, DEPENDING ON PROPOSALS THAT COME

FORWARD, THE COMMISSION WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION OF THE ADDITIONAL

LICENSES.

MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU, CHAIR WEINSTEIN.

ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR.

MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU. WELL, I CERTAINLY

APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THIS -- THIS

BUDGET. UNFORTUNATELY -- THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THE BUDGET THAT I LIKE

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS AN IRRESPONSIBLE BUDGET. A 10 PERCENT

INCREASE, A 10 PERCENT INCREASE. AS TOWN SUPERVISOR, I WAS HELD TO A 2

PERCENT TAX INCREASE AND ABIDED BY THAT MOST EVERY YEAR, AND IN 2014 I

ACTUALLY LOWERED TAXES. BUT IF YOU DON'T -- AND WITH A COUNTY THE SAME,

ONTARIO COUNTY. BUT IF YOU DO NOT ABIDE BY THE 2 PERCENT TAX, YOU'RE

PENALIZED. AND IN MANY CASES, YOU'RE PENALIZED WITH FUNDING,

PARTICULARLY RELATED TO RAISE THE AGE.

SO OUR COUNTIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES ALL TRY TO ABIDE BY THE

2 PERCENT TAX CAP, BUT WE STAND HERE AND SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

10 PERCENT IN A YEAR WHEN WE HAVE -- WE'RE FLUSH WITH CASH. NOW IS

THE TIME TO START SAVING OUR TAXPAYERS' MONEY. NOW IS THE TIME TO

ENACT A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET AT 2 PERCENT OR UNDER OR CUT TAXES, NOT

INCREASE 10 PERCENT. I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS -- THIS -- THIS BUDGET AND I WILL

BE VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.

MR. LAWLER.

MR. LAWLER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ON THE RESOLUTION.

YOU KNOW, GROWING UP I USED TO STAY WITH MY

GRANDMOTHER A LOT AND WE USED TO WATCH THE PRICE IS RIGHT EVERY DAY,

AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUDGET ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS ROD RODDY

SAYING, "YOU'RE THE NEXT CONTESTANT ON THE PRICE IS RIGHT, COME ON

DOWN." AND I THINK TO OPRAH WINFREY WHEN SHE GAVE AWAY A CAR TO

EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, "YOU GET A CAR, NO YOU GET A CAR, YOU GET A

CAR." THAT'S WHAT THIS BUDGET IS, EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER GETS

SOMETHING AND, YET, THE TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING HOSED.

YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS AGO THE ENACTED BUDGET WAS

$178 BILLION. LAST YEAR, THE ENACTED BUDGET WAS $212 BILLION, A $35

BILLION INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR. THE GOVERNOR ON HER 30 DAY

AMENDMENTS HAS PROPOSED A $218 BILLION, UP $6- FROM LAST YEAR. AND

THIS BODY IS PROPOSING A $226 BILLION BUDGET, UP $14- FROM LAST YEAR.

IN TWO YEARS, WE'VE INCREASED SPENDING BY $49 BILLION. NOW, MUCH OF

IT COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND I SAID LAST YEAR WHEN WE

HAD OUR BUDGET DEBATE, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE FEDERAL FUNDS ACTUALLY

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

RUN OUT? WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS? ARE WE GOING TO SEE MASSIVE

CUTS OR ARE WE GOING TO SEE MASSIVE TAX HIKES, OR A COMBINATION OF

BOTH?

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT CLIMATE, WE ARE DEALING

WITH RECORD LEVELS OF INFLATION, THE HIGHEST IN OVER 40 YEARS.

TWENTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF GEP HAS BEEN SPENT ON COVID RELIEF AND

STIMULUS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. NOW, THAT HAS LARGELY BEEN PAID FOR

BY NEWLY-CREATED MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE. FROM FEBRUARY

2020 TO NOVEMBER 2021, THE MONEY SUPPLY INCREASED BY THE SAME

AMOUNT IT DID FROM JULY 2011 TO FEBRUARY 2020. IS IT ANY WONDER WHY

WE ARE DEALING WITH RECORD LEVELS OF INFLATION? NEW YORKERS ARE

STRUGGLING EVERY DAY TO GO TO WORK, TO PICK UP THEIR KIDS FROM SCHOOL

BECAUSE GAS PRICES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF, IN PART BECAUSE OF INFLATION, IN

PART BECAUSE OF THE WAR RAGING IN THE UKRAINE RIGHT NOW, AND IN LARGE

PART BECAUSE OF OUR HORRIFIC ENERGY POLICY THAT HAS BEEN SET BY FEDERAL

AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND SO THE RESPONSE IS NOT TO LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM

FISCAL HEALTH OF NEW YORK; NO, THE RESPONSE IS TO SPEND, SPEND, SPEND

LIKE WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE, $49 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL SPENDING IN JUST

THE LAST TWO YEARS. THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED. AND I REALLY

ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE A VERY HARD LOOK AT WHAT IS

BEING PROPOSED IN THESE BUDGETS. OF COURSE WE WANT TO SPEND MORE ON

EDUCATION. OF COURSE WE WANT TO SPEND MORE ON HOUSING AND HEALTH

CARE. OF COURSE WE WANT TO SPEND MORE ON OUR ENVIRONMENT. OF

COURSE WE WANT TO SPEND MORE ON PUBLIC SAFETY. BUT THERE ISN'T A

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SINGLE PROGRAM, A SINGLE LINE ITEM THAT THIS BUDGET LOOKS AT AND SAYS,

YOU KNOW WHAT? WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT. AND NEW YORKERS SHOULD

UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR. OF COURSE WE WANT TO GIVE

EVERYTHING AWAY. OF COURSE WE WANT TO FULLY FUND EVERY POSSIBLE

PROGRAM WE CAN. GOD FORBID, GOD FORBID WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE

NUMBERS AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.

NEXT YEAR WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE AND INFLATION

CONTINUES TO WREAK HAVOC ON OUR ECONOMY, WHEN THE BILLS START COMING

DUE AND WHEN THESE PROGRAMS ARE POTENTIALLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK,

NEW YORKERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS A CHOICE

BETWEEN CUTTING THESE PROGRAMS OR RAISING TAXES. AND THAT IS

SOMETHING THAT NEW YORKERS NEED TO RECOGNIZE IN THIS COMING

ELECTION.

WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SPEND MONEY IN THE MANNER IN

WHICH WE DO. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUND EVERY PROGRAM UNDER THE

SUN, EVERY GOOD INTENTION THAT GETS PROPOSED IN THIS BODY AND IN THE

BODY DOWN THE HALL. WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DEALING

WITH AND UNLESS WE GET SERIOUS ABOUT PRIORITIZING OUR SPENDING, NEW

YORK WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER THE FATE IT HAS OVER THE LAST DECADE. IT

LEADS THE NATION IN OUT-MIGRATION FOR A REASON. PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO

LIVE HERE, THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE CRUSHING PROPERTY TAXES, THE

CRUSHING STATE INCOME TAXES, THE CRUSHING BUSINESS TAXES. THEY CANNOT

AFFORD TO OPERATE UNDER THE BURDENSOME REGULATIONS. AS I MENTIONED

IN A DEBATE IN COMMITTEE LAST WEEK, A DECADE AGO THE SENATE MAJORITY

DID A STUDY ON REGULATIONS. THEY FOUND THAT NEW YORK STATE AT THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TIME HAD OVER 750,000 REGULATIONS ON THE BOOKS. THAT WAS A DECADE

AGO. WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO TRY AND CUT BACK ON REGULATIONS; NO,

QUITE THE OPPOSITE.

SO WHEN I SEE A BUDGET PROPOSAL LIKE THIS WHEN THE

GOVERNOR ALREADY GAVE AWAY THE FARM IN HER EXECUTIVE BUDGET, IT'S A

SCARY THOUGHT. THE MAJORITY FOUND AN ADDITIONAL $8 BILLION IN

SPENDING THAT WAS UNACCOUNTED FOR BY THE GOVERNOR. WE NEED

WHOLESALE CHANGE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. WE CANNOT CONTINUE

DOWN THIS PATH WITH NO CHECKS AND BALANCES, ONE PARTY RULE, RUNNING

OUR STATE INTO THE PROVERBIAL GROUND, $226 BILLION AND NO END IN SIGHT.

I ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE NO ON THIS RESOLUTION AND I

ENCOURAGE EVERY NEW YORKER, EVERY HARD-WORKING TAXPAYER OUT THERE

TO DEMAND BETTER. DEMAND A MORE ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT. DEMAND

A MORE FISCALLY-RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT THAT ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS BASIC

ECONOMICS AND ACCOUNTING 101. MR. SPEAKER, I VOTE NO ON THIS

RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. WALCZYK.

MR. WALCZYK: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I

WONDER IF THE SPONSOR WOULD YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS

RESOLUTION?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN

YIELDS, SIR.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. WALCZYK: MADAM CHAIR, ALWAYS RELISH IN THE

OPPORTUNITY TO DIALOGUE WITH YOU. I DID SO IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS

WHICH I KNOW ARE VERY LONG AND OFTEN ADDS TO MORE ADVOCACY FORUMS

WHERE NOBODY ASKS FOR LESS, EVERYONE ASKS FOR MORE AND THEN YOU HAVE

THE CHALLENGE OF PUTTING ALL OF THOSE THINGS INTO A BUDGET FOR US HERE

TODAY.

SO I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN SOME OF

MY QUESTIONS TODAY AND OUR INDEPENDENT COLLEGES OFF THE TOP, THEY'VE

BEEN SLAMMED BY THE SHUTDOWNS AND, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY

BUT ESPECIALLY HERE, THE 109 INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITIES IN NEW YORK

STATE. THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE MAJOR ECONOMIC DRIVERS. DURING COVID,

THEY'VE BEEN HIT PARTICULARLY HARD FINANCIALLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES

TO DECLINES IN ENROLLMENT. AND SOME ARE NOW FACED WITH A CHOICE OF

MERGING WITH OTHER SCHOOLS OR BEING FORCED TO CLOSE. SO I'M

WONDERING IN THIS BUDGET RESOLUTION THAT THE MAJORITY IS PRESENTING

TODAY, IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR BUDGET THAT HELPS SUPPORT THESE PRIVATE

SCHOOLS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, I BELIEVE THAT THE MAJOR

TAP INCREASE THAT WE'RE DOING WILL, IN FACT, HELP THESE SCHOOLS. THE

STUDENTS WILL BE ELIGIBLE. SO WE ARE LOOKING OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF

DOUBLING THE TAP -- WE HAVE AN INCREASE THIS YEAR OF THE BASE OF TAP

AND OF THE MAXIMUM TAP AWARD.

MR. WALCZYK: TO ASSIST WITH ENROLLMENT, HOW

ABOUT DIRECTLY FOR THE -- FOR THE INSTITUTIONS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

CAPITAL FOR THE NON-PUBLICS, BUT NOT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN TERMS OF

OPERATING.

MR. WALCZYK: OKAY. WOULD THAT BE THROUGH

HECAP?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. WALCZYK: AND, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THEM

HAVE COME TO US REQUESTING AND DID SO IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET

HEARING FOR BUNDY AID. I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR PRESENTED HER

BUDGET WITH $30 MILLION IN BUNDY AID. WHAT DOES THIS RESOLUTION DO

FOR BUNDY AID?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE ACCEPTED THE GOVERNOR'S

NUMBER.

MR. WALCZYK: OKAY. SO NO ADDITIONAL INCREASE

OVER THE GOVERNOR'S?

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. WALCZYK: THANK YOU. UNDER THE STATE

UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE ONE-HOUSE BUDGET PROVIDES SUNY WITH

$200 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL OPERATING SUPPORT; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. WALCZYK: AND WHAT EXPENDITURES DOES

SUNY PLAN TO PRIORITIZE, OR WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THAT THEY WOULD

PRIORITIZE WITH THIS FUNDING, IS THERE ANY DIRECTION THERE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S REALLY -- IT WILL BE UP TO EACH

INDIVIDUAL COLLEGE HOW THEY WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY. IT COULD BE FOR

TEACHER SUPPORT, COULD BE FOR STUDENT SUPPORT, GENERAL OPERATIONS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. WALCZYK: OKAY. AND THAT OPERATION --

OPERATIONAL INCREASE WOULD JUST BE SPREAD ACROSS THE BOARD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S BASED UPON THE CURRENT

DISTRIBUTION TO THE SUNY SCHOOLS SO IT WILL BE PROPORTIONATE THE WAY IT

IS NOW.

MR. WALCZYK: THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

YOU'RE ALSO PROPOSING, IF I'M RIGHT, A $1.2 BILLION IN NEW CAPITAL

FUNDING AT SUNY?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. WALCZYK: IS THERE ANY DIRECTION IN THIS

BUDGET RESOLUTION AS TO HOW THAT CAPITAL FUNDING IS GOING TO BE

PRIORITIZED? WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD THE

GOVERNOR TALK A LOT ABOUT SUNY FLAGSHIP INSTITUTIONS. IS THERE, YOU

KNOW, ANY PARITY BETWEEN THEM AND COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITIES, FOR

EXAMPLE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE ISN'T A BREAKDOWN IN OUR

BUDGET, BUT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY COME BACK TO THE

LEGISLATURE TO LET US KNOW HOW THEY PLAN TO SPEND THAT CAPITAL MONEY.

MR. WALCZYK: OKAY. SO SUNY WOULD HAVE TO

COME BACK TO US WITH A PLAN?

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. WALCZYK: YOU'RE ALSO PROPOSING TO SUPPORT

THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET TO FUND COMMUNITY COLLEGES AT 100 PERCENT OF

THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED IN THE 2021-2022 BUDGET, AS WELL AS

PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $45 MILLION IN OPERATIONAL SUPPORT; IS THAT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO IT IS ACTUALLY $60 MILLION BUT

IT'S APPROPRIATED AT 75 PERCENT, BUT THE IDEA HERE IS TO HOLD THE SCHOOLS

HARMLESS FOR SOME OF THE POPUL -- STUDENT ENROLLMENTS DECREASE THAT

HAS HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

MR. WALCZYK: OKAY. DOES -- DOES THIS FULFILL THE

STATE'S PROMISE TO OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT THEY'LL BE FUNDED BY A

THIRD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE ARE NOT THERE YET, BUT THAT IS

THE GOAL AS WE -- AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

MR. WALCZYK: HOW CLOSE DO WE GET IN YOUR

BUDGET RESOLUTION THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING HERE TODAY?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S -- WE'RE ABOUT A FIFTH TO 25

PERCENT OF THE WAY THERE.

MR. WALCZYK: OKAY. UNDER THE TUITION

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH YOU -- YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M READING

THAT THE MAJORITY IS PROPOSING TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE SPENDING ON THE

TAP PROGRAM, INCLUDING INCREASING THE MAXIMUM AWARD TO MATCH THE

CURRENT TUITION LEVEL OF $7,070. IS THERE ALSO A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE

ELIGIBILITY THRESHOLD, OR WILL THAT REMAIN THE SAME?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE -- WE DON'T -- AT THE MOMENT

WE DON'T CHANGE THE ELIGIBILITY, BUT WE DO INCREASE THE MINIMUM TAP

AWARD WHICH IS AT $500 TO $1,000 AND, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE INCREASE

THE -- OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS THE TAP AWARD FROM $5,665 TO $7,000,

JUST OVER $7,000 WHICH WOULD MATCH THE MAXIMUM TAP AWARD TO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SUNY TUITION.

MR. WALCZYK: AND MADAM CHAIR, I KNOW THAT

WILL BE PERSONALLY HELPFUL TO MANY OF THE STUDENTS WHO CURRENTLY CAN

QUALIFY FOR THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. WE -- WE TALKED

EXTENSIVELY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND CERTAINLY IT CAME UP TIME

AND AGAIN IN THE BUDGET HEARING THIS YEAR THE NEED FOR AN EXPANSION OF

THE ELIGIBILITY AS WELL AS ROLLING IN THE EXCELSIOR PROGRAM AND MAYBE

FINALLY RIDDING OURSELVES OF THAT. DOES YOUR BUDGET RESOLUTION HERE

TODAY GET RID OF THE EXCELSIOR PROGRAM AND INCREASE THAT ELIGIBILITY

THRESHOLD FOR TAP?

MS. WEINSTEIN: NO. BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, THE

EXCELSIOR PROGRAM HELPS -- HELPS DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE

FOR -- FOR TAP.

MR. WALCZYK: WELL, MAYBE TO THE ONES WHO CAN

FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE IT, BUT THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR A PAST DAY THAT

WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF TIMES AND I'LL SPARE EVERYONE FOR HAVING IT AGAIN

TODAY.

FINAL -- FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

FUNDING FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS AT SUNY INSTITUTIONS, THE GOVERNOR HAS

MENTIONED THIS BOTH IN HER BUDGET PROPOSAL AND ALSO IN PRESS RELEASES

RECENTLY. I JUST WONDERED WILL COMPREHENSIVES LIKE THE FINE INSTITUTION

SUNY CANTON BE ELIGIBLE FOR CHILD CARE FUNDING?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO ANY CAMPUS THAT CURRENTLY

DOESN'T HAVE A CHILD CARE FACILITY ON CAMPUS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE

FUNDING THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. WALCZYK: GREAT. THANKS VERY MUCH.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. WALCZYK: MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,

SIR.

MR. WALCZYK: LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WAS $213

MILLION [SIC]. THAT WAS A RECORD, AND IT WAS A RECORD BY A LOT.

GOVERNOR HOCHUL WENT OUT AND PROPOSED A $216 BILLION BUDGET. DID I

SAY MILLION IN THE FIRST ROUND? LET ME START THAT AND READ IT BACK. LAST

YEAR'S BUDGET WAS A RECORD $213 BILLION. GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S PROPOSED

BUDGET THIS YEAR, A RECORD $216 BILLION. AND IN AN EFFORT TO OUTDO THE

GOVERNOR, THIS BODY WITH THE MAJORITY'S RESOLUTION HERE TODAY AND THE

VOTE THAT WE'LL TAKE UP ON THIS ONE-HOUSE BUDGET SOON IS PROPOSING A

$226 BILLION BUDGET. IT'S LIKE THE MAJORITY TOOK GAS PRICES AND WHAT'S

GOING ON AT THE PUMP RIGHT NOW AND TOOK IT AS A PERSONAL AFFRONT AND

SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN BEST WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. THEY DIDN'T

PROPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES, WHICH IS WISE TO OMIT IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

SMART TO NOT RAISE TAXES.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, IT MEANS THAT THEY'RE

GOING TO CONTINUE BORROWING AND OVER THE CONTINUAL YEARS, YOU WILL SEE

THAT NEW YORK STATE WILL GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL

DEBT LIMIT THAT WE HAVE. WHAT DOES THAT SOUND LIKE? WELL, I MEAN,

THAT MIGHT SOUND LIKE FANCY SPEAK BUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IS YOU'RE

TRANSITIONING THE DEBT AND THE SPENDING FROM TODAY ONTO OUR CHILDREN

AND ONTO OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SO IT'S GREAT IF WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE NICE THINGS

THAT THIS BUDGET DOES. WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THOSE BUDGET HEARINGS,

PEOPLE ASKED FOR EVERYTHING, WE GAVE THEM THAT AND THEN SOME. AND I

KNOW THAT SOUNDS GREAT ON CHRISTMAS. IT'S AWESOME IF OUR CHILDREN ARE

REALLY WELL-EDUCATED. IT'S TERRIBLE IF THEY ARE VERY DEEPLY INDEBTED AND

CAN'T EVEN DO ANYTHING WITH THE EDUCATION THAT WE'VE GIVEN THEM.

YOU'VE ALREADY DONE IT TO ONE GENERATION, DON'T DO IT TO THE NEXT.

MR. SPEAKER, I VOTE NO.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. ANGELINO.

MR. ANGELINO: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I HAVE

QUESTIONS IF THE SPONSOR WILL YIELD?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN

YIELDS, SIR.

MR. ANGELINO: WELL, EVERYBODY HERE HAS BEEN

TALKING ABOUT BILLIONS, I'LL LIKELY ONLY TALK ABOUT MILLIONS AND THE MAIN

AREA I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS PARKS, PARKS, REC AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION

AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT. I WAS JUST CURIOUS, I READ THE VOLUMES HERE

AND I SAW THE OVERALL PARKS BUDGET BUT IT LACKS THE DETAIL THAT I SAW IN

OTHER AREAS. THERE'S ARE SOME AREAS THAT DO HAVE BY NAME PROJECTS AND

PROGRAMS. I WAS CURIOUS, ARE THERE ANY NEW NEW YORK STATE PARKS

PLAN IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I BELIEVE THAT THE EXECUTIVE, THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

GOVERNOR DID ANNOUNCE RECENTLY A PARK IN THE -- THE STATE PARK IN THE

HUDSON VALLEY AREA.

MR. ANGELINO: IS THAT ALSO INCLUDED IN THE

ASSEMBLY BUDGET?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IF SHE DID, WE DID NOT -- IT STILL IS

-- IT'S STILL THERE.

MR. ANGELINO: OKAY. YOU DID NOT OBJECT IS WHAT

I'M HEARING.

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. ANGELINO: HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A DRASTIC

INCREASE IN THE MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, AND UPGRADES TO OUR CURRENT STATE

PARKS. DID THAT -- DID THOSE BUDGET LINES INCREASE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. ANGELINO: DO YOU KNOW, AND I SEE YOU HAVE

IT NOW IN FRONT OF YOU, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY INCREASE IN FUNDING

FOR STAFFING LEVELS OF THE NEW YORK STATE PARK POLICE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DO NOT -- WE DID NOT CHANGE

ANYTHING THAT THE EXECUTIVE PROPOSED IN THAT AREA SO TO THE EXTENT THAT

THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET INCLUDED FUNDS, THEY WOULD STILL BE HERE. SO THE

-- LET ME JUST -- THE EXECUTIVE DID RECOMMEND $37 MILLION INCREASE IN

STATE PARKS FUNDING AND IT DOES SAY THAT THE INCREASE SUPPORTS SALARY

INCREASES, NON-PERSONNEL SERVICE COSTS AND ADDITIONAL STAFFING, 53

FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT, AND 15 OF THOSE PARK RANGERS, AND THEN 38

FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS WOULD SUPPORT GENERAL PARK OPERATIONS TO

ACCOMMODATE RISING VISITATION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. ANGELINO: OKAY. SO WHAT I HEARD WAS 15

PARK RANGERS --

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. ANGELINO: -- AND 35 SUPPORT PERSONNEL?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THIRTY-EIGHT, BUT YES.

MR. ANGELINO: THIRTY-EIGHT, OKAY. I COULDN'T

HEAR. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU. I FELT OBLIGATED TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS

AS A MEMBER OF PARKS AND RECS COMMITTEE AND ALSO, MY DAD WAS A --

A NEW YORK STATE PARKS COMMISSIONER MANY YEARS AGO.

MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,

SIR.

MR. ANGELINO: IN ALL THE SPENDING THAT WE'VE

BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY, IT'S ALL BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I'M ONLY TALKING

OF A FEW MILLIONS, IF THAT. I'VE READ THE VOLUMES. I'VE SEEN ALL THE

PROGRAMS THAT ARE INCLUDED AND I FOUND SEVERAL BY NAME PROGRAMS AND

AGENCIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ASSEMBLY BUDGET AND ALSO THE

GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. AND THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE THAT I FOUND TO

SUPPORT INCREASING THE FUNDING FOR STAFFING AND SALARIES OF NEW YORK

STATE PARK POLICE. THIS POLICE AGENCY IS TASKED WITH PROTECTING

MILLIONS OF ANNUAL VISITORS TO OUR STATE PARKS, AND THEY DO EVERYTHING,

EVERYTHING FROM FINDING LOST CHILDREN AND PETS ALL THE WAY UP TO SWIFT

WATER RESCUE IN THE NIAGARA RIVER AT THE PRECIPICE OF NIAGARA FALLS.

THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE -- STATE PARK POLICE PROVIDE AN AMAZING

RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT AND THIS SMALL AGENCY IS THE OLDEST NEW YORK

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

STATE POLICE AGENCY AND THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR RANKS BROUGHT UP TO

A LEVEL THAT THEY CAN PROTECT THE MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO OUR STATE PARKS.

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THIS AGENCY HAS BEEN

DECIMATED, AND THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE BETTER FROM US. I WANTED TO

CONCENTRATE ON ONE TINY AGENCY IN THIS VOLUMES OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS

BECAUSE THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE IT. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: MR. JENSEN.

MR. JENSEN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE

SPONSOR YIELD FOR A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING HEALTH CARE AND LIBRARIES?

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. JENSEN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

IN THE ONE-HOUSE BUDGET, THE MAJORITY REJECTED THE GOVERNOR'S

PROPOSED BONUS FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. JENSEN: -- AND INSTEAD PRIORITIZED WAGE

INCREASES OF ABOUT $1.2 BILLION AT DOH AND OTHER AGENCIES. WILL ANY

OF THOSE FUNDS MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN TO FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS

IN CARE SETTINGS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES. WELL, YOU KNOW, AS YOU

CORRECTLY INDICATE, WE REJECTED THE CONCEPT OF A ONE-TIME BONUS,

INSTEAD OPTING FOR SALARY INCREASE WITH THE -- IN MANY AREAS WITH THE

NOTION THAT PART OF WHAT WE HEAR IS THE ISSUE IS BEING ABLE TO BOTH RETAIN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

AND ATTRACT NEW WORKERS AND THAT AN INCREASE IN SALARY WOULD BE MORE

WELCOME THAN A ONE-TIME BUMP WHICH, FOR SOME PEOPLE AT THE LOW END

OF THE INCOME, COULD ACTUALLY THROW THEM OFF OF SOME -- OFF A BENEFIT

CLIFF THAT THEY MAY BE ON RIGHT NOW. SO I CAN GO THROUGH -- IF YOU

WANT, I COULD GO THROUGH WHERE SOME OF THAT --

MR. JENSEN: SO MADAM CHAIR --

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- SOME AREAS, OR IS THERE SPECIFIC

MR. JENSEN: SO IN THAT $1.2 BILLION, SOME OF THOSE

FUNDS WILL GO DOWN TO ASSIST CARE PROVIDERS WITH RECRUITMENT AND

RETENTION OF CARE STAFF.

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES. WELL, IN PARTICULAR IN THE

NURSING HOMES, THERE'S $50 MILLION FOR -- REALLY, IT CAN BE USED FOR A LOT

OF DIFFERENT PURPOSES BUT IT COULD BE USED EITHER AS A -- AS A SALARY

INCREASE, BUT IT'S FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. SO ON THE NURSING

HOME SIDE THERE'S THE $50 MILLION FOR THE HOME HEALTH AIDES. THERE'S

THE 1.5 PERCENT OF -- ONE-AND-A-HALF TIMES MINIMUM WAGE. THERE'S

$200 MILLION FOR OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND FOR THE STATE EMPLOYEES

TO NOT INTERFERE WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE

ONLY INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE GETTING THE ACTUAL BONUSES, THAT'S $120

MILLION. AND THEN FOR A LOT OF THE AGENCIES, WORKERS AT AGENCIES WILL

BE SEEING 11 PERCENT INCREASE IN THEIR -- AS A COLA, 11 PERCENT COLA

INCREASE ON THEIR SALARIES. A LOT OF THESE AGENCIES THAT

HAVE (INAUDIBLE).

MR. JENSEN: OKAY. SO KIND OF TRANSITIONING A LITTLE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

BIT TO THE PROPOSAL FOR FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE WORKERS, AND I THINK THAT

-- I THINK EVERYBODY WOULD AGREE THAT THOSE WORKERS ARE SEVERELY

UNDERPAID. IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT YOU HAVE OR THE MAJORITY HAS

ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF COMPRESSION ACROSS THE CARE WORKER PARADIGM?

SO IF WE'RE NOW INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR HOME CARE WORKERS

BUT NOT FOR CARE WORKERS OR NURSES IN ACUTE CARE, LONG-TERM CARE,

ASSISTED LIVING, IS THERE A CONCERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WORKERS

NURSING -- NURSES LEAVE THOSE OTHER SETTINGS TO GO TO HOME CARE AND

POTENTIALLY CREATE A SHORTAGE OR WAGE COMPRESSION ACROSS THE BOARD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, WE DO HAVE -- I FAILED TO

MENTION INITIALLY A 1 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT

RATE FOR THE HOSPITALS SO THAT CAN, AND ALONG WITH SOME OF WHAT I

MENTIONED EARLIER, THE $200 MILLION FOR THE NON-HOME CARE EMPLOYEES

THAT -- ALL OF THAT TRANSLATES TO AN INCREASE IN WAGES.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY. AND SO WITH THAT FUNDING FOR

FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE, IS THAT ONE-OFF FUNDING OR IS THIS GOING TO BE

RECURRING FUNDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOCATE THROUGH THE

BUDGET EVERY YEAR AS LONG AS THAT MINIMUM --

MS. WEINSTEIN: IN OUR BUDGET, IT'S -- IT'S RECURRING.

MR. JENSEN: IT'S RECURRING, OKAY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. JENSEN: ALL RIGHT. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION

REGARDING HEALTH CARE IS CERTAINLY WITH -- THERE'S PRIORITIZATION OF ACUTE

CARE, HEALTH CARE MODERNIZATION, LONG-TERM CARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, BUT

IS THERE ANY DEDICATED FUNDING GOING DIRECTLY TO ASSISTED LIVING AND

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

HELPING THEM WITH SOME OF THESE SHORTFALLS THAT THEY HAVE SUFFERED

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: NOT PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THE

ASSISTED LIVING IS MOSTLY NON-MEDICAID SO -- AND PRIVATE PAY, SO THAT

DOESN'T COME INTO THE FORMULA THAT WE HAVE HERE.

MR. JENSEN: CERTAINLY THEY FACED EVEN MORE --

THEY SUFFERED A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT LONG-TERM CARE FACED WHERE

THEY HAD PEOPLE -- THEY HAD THEIR CENSUS NUMBERS GOING DOWN, THEY

MAY HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO NO LONGER COULD SUPPORT FAMILY MEMBERS

THROUGH PRIVATE PAY, AND THEY ALSO ARE STRUGGLING WITH STAFFING IN THE

SAME WAY. SO CERTAINLY, SHOULDN'T WE BE TREATING ALL OF OUR CARE

PROVIDERS WITH SOME SORT OF EQUITY?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, THERE -- LET ME JUST CLARIFY

WHAT I SAID BEFORE ABOUT -- WHAT I JUST SAID ABOUT THE ASSISTED LIVING.

THERE IS $100 MILLION IN THE VAP PROGRAM, SO THE VITAL ASSISTANCE

PROVIDER PROGRAM.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

MADAM CHAIR. TRANSITIONING TO LIBRARIES, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING

TOPICS IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL. CERTAINLY LIBRARY IS IN A BETTER PLACE

THAN IT WAS IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, BUT RECENTLY ON A STATEWIDE

TOUR, MEMBERS OF THIS BODY HEARD FROM THE LIBRARY COMMUNITY ABOUT

HOW LIBRARIES ARE BEING ASKED TO BE ALL THINGS FOR ALL PEOPLE AND DO

EVEN MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. WHEN WE'RE TAKING A BUDGET THAT'S GOING

TO, YOU KNOW, PROPOSE $226 BILLION, SHOULDN'T WE BE INVESTING IN THIS

COMMUNITY RESOURCE THAT IS SERVING AS A COMMUNITY CENTER IN ALL

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

COMMUNITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE RICH, POOR, URBAN, SUBURBAN, RURAL.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, WE DO IN -- IN OUR BUDGET

INCLUDE AN EXTRA $10 MILLION INCREASE FOR LIBRARY AID, SO WE BRING THAT

TOTAL UP TO $106.1 MILLION, WHICH IS $12 MILLION OVER -- OVER LAST YEAR,

AND THERE'S ALSO CAPITAL FUNDING FOR -- FOR LIBRARIES.

MR. JENSEN: IT'S FUNNY YOU MENTIONED THE CAPITAL

FUNDING BECAUSE I THINK EVEN THE LIBRARY ADVOCATES AND THE FOLKS WHO

RUN THE LIBRARIES SAY THAT $34 MILLION WAS GREAT LAST YEAR, WE'RE

CERTAINLY HAPPIER WITH $34 THAN $14, BUT WHEN WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION

AID ACROSS THE STATE THAT IS MUCH, MUCH HIGHER, A $34 MILLION TOP LINE

NUMBER SEVERELY LIMITS THE ABILITY OF INVESTMENT IN LOCAL -- LOCAL

LIBRARIES, WHERE THEY CAN ONLY DO SMALLER UPGRADES AND NOT MAKE

SUBSTANTIAL GENERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT REALLY BRING OUR LIBRARIES

INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE ARE $20 MILLION -- $20

MILLION OVER -- OVER THE GOVERNOR.

MR. JENSEN: WELL, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY -- ON THIS

WE'RE MUCH BETTER THAN THE GOVERNOR, BUT I THINK WE CAN BE EVEN

BETTER, AND IT'S FUNNY --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE

BEEN COMPLAINING I'M SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY, SO I'M JUST --

MR. JENSEN: IT'S A STRANGE, YOU KNOW -- MAYBE I'LL

COME STAND ON THAT SIDE OF THE AISLE FOR THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELCOME. WE HAVE SOME EMPTY

CHAIRS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

(LAUGHTER)

MR. JENSEN: SO INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET WAS DIGITAL

INCLUSION, AND I THINK THIS KIND OF BUILDS ON THE IDEA OF CAPITAL AID AND

IS THERE ANY -- WITHIN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL AND MAYBE THIS HAS TO WAIT

UNTIL THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET, BUT IS THERE ANY MECHANISM FOR HOW

WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT OR MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHO GETS THIS

DIGITAL INCLUSION FUNDING?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THE FINAL DECISIONS WILL BE MADE

BY SED, AND THERE'S NOT RESTRICTIONS ON WHERE IT GOES. IT'S WHERE IT'S

NEEDED SO IT COULD BE URBAN, RURAL, SUBURBAN.

MR. JENSEN: SO THERE'S NO PARITY BETWEEN NEW

YORK CITY AND UPSTATE IN THAT FUNDING ALLOCATION?

MS. WEINSTEIN: NO.

MR. JENSEN: WELL, I THINK IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE IN

THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET TO MAKE SURE WE ENSURE PARITY. IS THERE ANY

UPPER LIMIT ON GRANT DOLLAR AMOUNTS? OR IS IT JUST YOU PUT IN THE

PROPOSAL, YOU CAN GET A GRANT FOR X-AMOUNT OF DOLLARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE

UP TO SED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S BALANCE CERTAINLY AROUND THE STATE.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY. AND THEN MY LAST AREA OF

QUESTIONS ON ADULT LITERACY, AND I -- AND I APPRECIATE THE MAJORITY

INCREASING THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT; I WON'T TELL MY COLLEAGUES THAT I SAID

THAT. WAS THERE ANY DESIRE WHEN ADDING THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO

LOOSEN THE RESTRICTIONS ON HOW THAT (INAUDIBLE) FUNDING CAN BE USED,

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S VERY RESTRICTIVE?

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE IS SOME -- SOME LOOSENING

OF RESTRICTIONS.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY. BECAUSE CERTAINLY I THINK

WHEN YOU LOOK AT UPSTATE VERSUS DOWNSTATE, UPSTATE RELIES MORE ON

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS; NEW YORK CITY RELIES ON PAID TEACHER MODELS.

AND HAVING MORE FLEXIBILITY IN HOW THEY CAN ALLOCATE AND USE THESE

FUNDS I THINK WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE HAVING

THESE DIVERSE -- OR DIGITAL INCLUSION DOLLARS THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE TO HELP

INCREASE DIGITAL LITERACY, CERTAINLY NEW AMERICANS WE'RE EXPECTED, I

KNOW THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ACCEPTING

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES AND AS WE TRY TO WELCOME THESE NEW AMERICANS

INTO OUR STATE AND INTO OUR SOCIETY, ALLOWING LITERACY GROUPS TO HAVE

MORE ABILITY TO USE THIS FUNDING WOULD BE -- WOULD BE CRITICALLY

IMPORTANT.

MS. WEINSTEIN: ALL RIGHT. I WOULD AGREE WITH

THAT.

MR. JENSEN: PERFECT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

MADAM CHAIR, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: MR. ASHBY.

MR. ASHBY: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE

CHAIRWOMAN YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. ASHBY: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: SHE WILL YIELD.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. ASHBY: MY QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO REVOLVE

AROUND VETERAN SERVICES --

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. ASHBY: -- AND VETERANS. SO IN THIS PROPOSED

BUDGET, IT INCLUDES $110 MILLION FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE EMPIRE

STATE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING INITIATIVE. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY UNITS

WILL GO TO VETERANS THIS YEAR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I COULD TELL YOU THE DOLLAR

AMOUNT, BUT NOT THE -- $5 MILLION IS CARVED OUT FOR VETERANS.

MR. ASHBY: IS THAT -- IS THAT AN INCREASE FROM

PREVIOUS YEARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: NO. I BELIEVE -- I BELIEVE IT'S THE

SAME NUMBER.

MR. ASHBY: OKAY. THIS BUDGET ALSO PLANS TO

SPEND $10 MILLION ON VETERANS' SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FOR CAPITAL

PROJECTS.

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. ASHBY: DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY OF

THESE ORGANIZATIONS OR FACILITIES ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DON'T KNOW BUT, YOU KNOW,

CERTAINLY HEARING FROM A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE SOME -- I

HAVE A VFW -- SEVERAL VFW POSTS EITHER IN MY DISTRICT OR JUST OUTSIDE,

I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE

AROUND THE STATE WILL BE VERY WELCOME.

MR. ASHBY: DO WE THINK -- DO WE THINK THAT $10

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MILLION IS ADEQUATE FOR THIS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE -- IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'RE

PROVIDING THIS TYPE OF FUNDING SO WE WILL -- WE WILL SEE WHETHER IT IS

AND IF NOT, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ADDRESS IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

MR. ASHBY: OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. THE

VETERANS' BENEFIT ADVISING PROGRAM WAS CUT BY $3.2 MILLION IN THE

EXECUTIVE BUDGET, AND THAT ELIMINATED 20 PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT OUR

VETERANS, AND IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET EITHER. AND IT INCLUDES

SERVICES FOR LEGAL PROGRAMS, JOB TRAINING, COMMUNITY SUPPORT

PROGRAMS; WHY -- WHY WAS THAT NOT INCLUDED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

OUR, WHAT WE -- WE AND THE SENATE WOULD TERM LEGISLATIVE ADDS AND

THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE -- IN THE FINAL BUDGET.

MR. ASHBY: THAT'S GREAT NEWS, THAT'S GREAT NEWS.

AND I WOULD ALSO IMAGINE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THIS --

IN THIS BUDGET IS ELEVATING THE DIVISION OF VETERANS' SERVICES TO A

DEPARTMENT, OUR COLLEAGUE CARRIES THAT BILL AND I KNOW MANY OF US IN

THIS CHAMBER ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THAT, AND I WOULD THINK THAT IN

FUTURE YEARS, THESE CONCERNS COULD BE ANSWERED BY ELEVATING THE

DIVISION. BUT THIS YEAR AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF THESE CONCERNS

ARE GOING UNANSWERED. SO I WOULD HOPE, AS YOU SAID WHEN THIS GETS

IRONED OUT, THAT THESE SERVICES ARE -- ARE INCLUDED IN THAT. THANK YOU,

MR. SPEAKER.

MS. WEINSTEIN: I PROMISE, I'M SURE THEY WILL BE.

MR. ASHBY: YOU PROMISE?

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MS. WEINSTEIN: WITHOUT AN ABSOLUTE PROMISE, I'M

SURE THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE FUNDED IN THE PAST FOR VETERANS' SERVICES

WILL BE CONTINUED.

MR. ASHBY: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK

YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

MR. BROWN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE

MADAM CHAIRWOMAN YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: WILL THE CHAIR YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: THE CHAIR YIELDS.

MR. BROWN: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SOME

POINTED QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK, PORTIONS OF THE ONE-HOUSE,

PARTICULARLY THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS. LAST YEAR WE PASSED

LEGISLATION CREATING AN OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND AND SETTLEMENT BOARD

TO ENSURE THE FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED APPROPRIATELY. DO YOU KNOW IF

THE SETTLEMENT BOARD HAS MET YET?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THEY HAVE NOT YET MET.

MR. BROWN: OKAY. AND -- SO IS THERE ANYTHING IN

THIS PROPOSAL THAT WILL SPECIFY HOW THESE FUNDS ARE TO BE USED AND HOW

THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALLOCATED BY THE BOARD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: AS I SAID, THE BOARD HAS NOT MET.

THERE IS $60 MILLION FOR OPIOID MAT TREATMENT AND $6 MILLION FOR THE

OVERDOSE PREVENTION PROGRAM.

MR. BROWN: OKAY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: AND THERE'S ALSO $8 MILLION FOR

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THE MATTERS PROGRAM, AND THERE'S A FEW OTHER SMALLER LINE-OUTS.

MR. BROWN: THANK YOU FOR THAT. SWITCHING GEARS,

THERE'S A SECTION ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES SALES TAX INCENTIVES AND

EXEMPTION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE PURCHASERS FROM UP TO $35,000. WITH

RESPECT TO THAT, IS THERE ANY BASIS FOR THAT IN TERMS OF ANY DATA AS FAR AS

ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE -- WE DON'T HAVE DATA GOING

BACKWARD. THE IDEA IS TO TRY AND ENCOURAGE THE USE OF ELECTRIC

VEHICLES IN -- IN OUR STATE.

MR. BROWN: WHICH I UNDERSTAND, BUT MY

UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SALES HAVE PICKED UP INCREDIBLY FOR ELECTRIC

VEHICLES IN THE STATE, SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY BASIS FOR THIS

PORTION OF THE ONE-HOUSE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE FURTHER

PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

MR. BROWN: SO IF I MAY, IF THAT MONEY COULD BE

PUT TOWARDS ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, I THINK THAT MONEY

WOULD BE A LOT BETTER SPENT.

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE ARE -- THERE ARE FEDERAL

DOLLARS THAT WE WILL BE HAVING FOR -- THAT WE WILL BE GETTING FOR EV

CHARGING STATIONS AND...

MR. BROWN: YES, I ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF

THOSE HEARINGS RECENTLY AND THE REPORTS COMING OUT OF NYPA AND THE

COMPTROLLER'S REPORT SHOWED THAT FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS, THE NUMBER

OF EV CHARGING STATIONS HAS AN ABYSMAL RECORD, ONLY SOMETHING LIKE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

200 CHARGING STATIONS HAVE BEEN BUILT IN NINE YEARS WHERE MONEY WAS

ALLOCATED. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IF WE CAN PUT IN THE STRUCTURE.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DO HAVE $15 MILLION IN THE

BUDGET THROUGH NYSERDA FOR ADDITIONAL CHARGING STATIONS, AND I

KNOW AT OUR HEARINGS THE THRUWAY AUTHORITY DID TESTIFY THAT, IF YOU

NOTICED, THERE'S A LOT OF, I GUESS, RESTORATION OR A TOTAL REBUILD OF A

NUMBER OF THE SERVICE AREAS AND THEY ARE PLANNING EV CHARGING

STATIONS THERE.

MR. BROWN: I'M VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT, THANK YOU.

SWITCHING GEARS, THERE'S A PROVISION ENTITLED SUFFOLK COUNTY WATER

QUALITY AND THAT IN THE ONE-HOUSE WE'RE REJECTING ESTABLISHMENT OF

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT TO FUND WATER QUALITY. THAT DOESN'T

COST THE STATE ANY MONEY; AM I CORRECT IN THAT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SINCE IT'S NOT REALLY A BUDGET

ISSUE, BUT A POLICY ISSUE, AS I MENTIONED TO ASSEMBLYWOMAN WALSH

THAT LOW POLICY ISSUES ARE BEING REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET AND WE WILL

CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION OFF-BUDGET.

MR. BROWN: I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE THIS

IS SOMETHING THAT SUFFOLK COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR, TO HELP OUR

WATER QUALITY ON BOTH SHORES OF THE ISLAND, SO THANK YOU.

NEXT IS THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT, THERE'S A

PROVISION THERE TO EMPLOY 208 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. DO WE HAVE A

BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE FOR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DON'T HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN.

MR. BROWN: IF I COULD ASK, IF YOU HAVE THAT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

INFORMATION, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE IT TO MY COLLEAGUES, WE'D APPRECIATE

THAT.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE WILL -- WE WILL GET THAT -- GET

THAT INFORMATION IN I'M SURE BY THE TIME WE HAVE A FINAL BUDGET IN

PLACE. WHEN WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT

INFORMATION HERE.

MR. BROWN: THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THE LAST

QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU WITH RESPECT TO THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE TO-GO

PROGRAM THAT WAS MADE PERMANENT, I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT THAT

WAS REMOVED. CAN I JUST ASK FOR THE BASIS OF THAT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE REJECT THAT THE GOVERNOR'S

PROVISION FROM THE BUDGET BECAUSE THAT'S, AGAIN, A POLICY ISSUE THAT WE

CAN DISCUSS OFF-BUDGET.

MR. BROWN: AND I THANK YOU THOROUGHLY FOR THAT.

SO ON THE RESOLUTION, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER CUSICK: ON THE RESOLUTION.

MR. BROWN: MR. SPEAKER, SINCE TAKING OFFICE IN

NOVEMBER OF 2019, THE STATE BUDGET HAS INCREASED OVER 21 PERCENT.

THAT'S IN TWO YEARS THE STATE BUDGET HAS INCREASED 21 PERCENT, WHICH IS

A STARTLING NUMBER. IN 2021, IT INCREASED 20 PERCENT AND THIS LAST -- THIS

PROPOSED BUDGET IS 6 PERCENT. SO FROM $176 BILLION TWO YEARS AGO TO

$212 BILLION, TO A PROPOSED WHOPPING $226 BILLION IN THIS ONE-HOUSE

BILL, SOME $8 BILLION MORE THAN THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET.

SO I SIT HERE AND I ASK MYSELF, YOU KNOW, WE REQUIRE

SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADHERE TO A 2 PERCENT PROPERTY TAX CAP; YET, THE NEW

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

YORK STATE LEGISLATURE SPENDS MONEY LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS ON LEAVE.

WE NEGLIGENTLY REMOVED $2 BILLION IN RESERVES WITH RESPECT TO COVID

RELIEF. SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TURNS OFF THE

TAP AND STOPS PROVIDING AID TO NEW YORK STATE? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

AND IF REVENUE IS WORSE THAN PREDICTIONS? AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO BALANCE OUR BOOKS? ARE WE GOING TO TURN

TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND RAISE TAXES WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY

STRUGGLING WITH INFLATION, STRUGGLING WITH RECOVERY FROM COVID? I

THINK THE TIME HAS COME FOR A SPENDING CAP FOR NEW YORK STATE TO GET

ITS FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS STATE.

AND FOR THIS REASON AND OTHER REASONS, I'M VOTING NO. THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU.

MR. BYRNE.

MR. BYRNE: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE

CHAIRPERSON YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. BYRNE: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I KNOW

OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY REVIEWED WITH YOU THE OVERALL COST OF THIS

BUDGET SUCCEEDING OVER $226 BILLION, INCREASED DEBT OVER $69 BILLION,

$150 MILLION MORE THAN THE GOVERNOR HAD INITIALLY PROPOSED IN HER

EXECUTIVE BUDGET. THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT THE

ELECTRIC SALES TAX EXEMPTION AND I THINK THIS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, I

JUST WANTED TO ASK, HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION WITHIN THE ASSEMBLY

MAJORITY AND THE CONTEXT OF THE BUDGET OF SUSPENDING THE STATE SALES

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TAX ON GASOLINE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THAT'S A TOPIC

THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS. IN LOOKING, AND I THINK ACTUALLY GOING BACK

TO THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, I HAD QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH MR. RA,

WE LOOKED AT HOW WE COULD BEST USE THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO HELP

FAMILIES THAT ARE TO PAY FOR THE ESSENTIALS OF LIFE, AND WE DETERMINED

THAT THE PROPOSALS THAT WE HAVE TO HELP THE -- THE PROPERTY TAX CUT, THE

INCREASE IN SALARIES, THE INCREASE IN THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, THAT THESE ARE --

AND OTHERS THAT I MENTIONED, ARE A BETTER WAY TO IMMEDIATELY ASSIST

FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH --

MR. BYRNE: RESPECTFULLY --

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- VERSUS THE -- THE GAS TAX, SO...

MR. BYRNE: UNDERSTOOD, AND RESPECTFULLY I WOULD

JUST SUGGEST -- I WOULD SUBMIT THAT SALES TAX EXEMPTION ON ELECTRIC

VEHICLES UP TO $35,000 IS NOT NECESSARILY CATERING TO THOSE WHO ARE

FROM LOW INCOMES OR MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES. I THINK ELIMINATING OR

SUSPENDING THE SALES TAX WHICH IS INHERENTLY REGRESSIVE AND

DISPROPORTIONATELY HURTS LOW-INCOME AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES MIGHT

HAVE A MORE IMMEDIATE IMPACT BY LEAVING INCOME AND MONEY IN THE

POCKETS OF NEW YORKERS. BUT I KNOW -- I ASK BECAUSE MY

UNDERSTANDING IS SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE OTHER CHAMBER ARE

DISCUSSING THIS, COLLEAGUES IN THE ASSEMBLY MINORITY CONFERENCE HAVE

BEEN PROPOSING THIS, IT'S BEEN OBVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE AS STATE

LEGISLATORS, WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO INFLUENCE OPEC OR A LOT OF

THESE GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES, BUT WE CAN MAKE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE BY

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PUTTING MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF NEW YORKERS, MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT

MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THEM TO COMMUTE TO GO TO WORK AND TO PROVIDE FOR

THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT QUESTION, I DO HAVE MORE

QUESTIONS, MADAM CHAIR, GO AHEAD, YEAH, IF YOU COULD --

MS. WEINSTEIN: JUST IN TERMS OF THE EV CHARGING,

BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE BEEN ASKED BEFORE, IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE JUST $20

MILLION. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE GAS TAX IS APPROACHING $2 BILLION

AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN AS I SAID, WE USE THESE OTHER MEASURES THAT I HAD

LEFT OUT, THE $500 MILLION FOR UTILITY ARREARS, WHICH IS A DIRECT HELP TO

CONSUMERS AND RESIDENTS OF OUR STATE.

MR. BYRNE: UNDERSTOOD, AND THE GAS SALES TAX

OBVIOUSLY BRINGS IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF REVENUE TO THE STATE, TOO,

SO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE FOR A

DISCUSSION. ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE

AWARE OF THIS, I'LL ASK THAT FIRST, ARE YOU AWARE THAT SOME OF OUR SUNY

AND CUNY STUDENTS IN NEW YORK WERE DISENROLLED DURING THE FALL OF

LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE VACCINE

MANDATE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I -- I WOULD ASSUME THERE WERE

SOME PEOPLE. THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM THEY BE

VACCINATED. TO THE EXTENT THEY DIDN'T MEET THAT REQUIREMENT I WOULD

ASSUME THEY WOULD BE DISENROLLED, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A --

MR. BYRNE: SO I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN AN

ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT, AND I KNOW IT'S

STATEWIDE, AND THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE BY CAMPUS BY CAMPUS

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

BUT ON AUGUST 23RD, SUNY MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ALL SUNY

STUDENTS BE VACCINATED TO REMAIN ENROLLED. MANY STUDENTS WERE GIVEN

A 35 DAY GRACE PERIOD FROM THE TIME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO GET

VACCINATED. ONLY SOME WERE ABLE TO COMPLY TO GET AN ACTUAL -- TO GET

AN EXEMPTION AND SOME CORRESPONDENCE THAT WE HAVE FROM A

REPRESENTATIVE AT SUNY, THERE WAS 8,134 EXEMPTION REQUESTS FOR LAST

FALL, OVER 7,000 WERE RELIGIOUS, 1,086 WERE MEDICAL. THAT'S JUST ABOUT

75 PERCENT OF THOSE WERE APPROVED. CLOSE TO 1,500 STUDENTS WERE

DISENROLLED FOR VARIOUS REASONS, INCLUDING VACCINE STATUS. IT DID NOT

GIVE THEM NEARLY ENOUGH TIME TO COMPLY. A LOT OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED,

ACTUALLY INTRODUCED A BILL TO DO THIS, THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR, IT'S NOT ABOUT

AN ARGUMENT OR DEBATE ABOUT VACCINES, BUT THESE STUDENTS SHOULD BE

REIMBURSED THE TUITION COST FOR THE FALL OF LAST YEAR. AND I WOULD ASK

THAT THAT BE CONSIDERED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE STATE BUDGET.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION TO

BE VACCINATED -- REQUIREMENT FOR VACCINATION WAS THE CUNY

CHANCELLOR'S REQUIREMENT.

MR. BYRNE: I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE

AND THESE STUDENTS PAID TUITION, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THEIR MONEY

BACK. THAT'S -- THAT'S MY POINT. IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, WE SHOULD

MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS THAT WERE DISENROLLED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE

TIME TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEIR

MONEY BACK. MOVING ON.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO WHAT THE

POLICY WAS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. BYRNE: THANK YOU. AND YOU CAN COSPONSOR

MY BILL WHEN I GET A BILL NUMBER, IF YOU'D LIKE. I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE

YOU ON IT. OR SUNY AND CUNY CAN JUST DO IT ON THEIR OWN AND SAVE

US A LOT OF TIME, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT, I WOULD LOVE THEM TO DO THAT,

TOO.

I'LL SAY SOME GOOD THINGS BEFORE -- SOME OTHER

POSITIVES THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE MAJORITY AND THIS CONFERENCE,

THE ADULT CYSTIC FIBROSIS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, IT SEEMS THAT IT'S NOT

ONLY BEEN REINSTITUTED AND FUNDED, BUT THE LANGUAGE TO BRING BACK THE

PROGRAM IS IN THIS ONE-HOUSE RESOLUTION; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. BYRNE: SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I

THINK IT WAS THE 2020 BUDGET RIGHT AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, WE

HAD THE MRT II COMING OUT, A LOT OF TOUGH BUDGET DECISIONS WERE

BEING MADE BUT I THINK IT WAS A TRAVESTY. IT WAS JUST GROSS FAILURE OF

THIS BODY TO AGREE TO A STATE BUDGET THAT REMOVED THAT PROGRAM AT A

TIME WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC WITH A VIRUS THAT

ATTACKS SOMEONE'S RESPIRATORY SYSTEM THAT WE TOOK AWAY A PROGRAM

THAT HELPED PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM CYSTIC FIBROSIS. AND I WANT TO SAY,

YOU KNOW, CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT IN YOUR

ONE-HOUSE. THEY SAY BUDGET IS ABOUT PRIORITIES, IT DOESN'T COST THE

STATE A LOT OF MONEY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS. I'M GLAD TO SEE

THAT'S IN THERE. I'M ALSO GLAD THAT YOUR ONE-HOUSE REJECTS THE

GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE PRESCRIBER PREVAILS, AND A QUESTION I

HAD WAS IT ELIMINATES THE SALES TAX DIVERSION FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENTS

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TO SUPPORT DISTRESSED HOSPITALS, BUT IT DOES KEEP THAT FUNDING TO SUPPORT

THOSE DISTRESSED HOSPITALS ELSEWHERE; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, IT -- YES.

MR. BYRNE: OKAY. WELL I -- I DON'T NECESSARILY

THINK THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR SALES TAX SHOULD BE USED TO

HELP SUPPORT THOSE COUNTY GOVERNMENT BUDGETS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO

RELY OVERLY ON -- MORE ON PROPERTY TAXES, SO THAT IS A GOOD MOVE.

MOVING ON WITH SOME OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I RUN OUT

OF TIME, I'M ABOUT HALFWAY THERE SO I'LL KEEP GOING. AS FAR AS

MEDICAID, IT'S TYPICALLY THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR STATE BUDGET. DO

YOU MIND JUST SHARING A BREAKDOWN IN TOTAL OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL

SHARE OF MEDICAID THIS YEAR, WHAT THE COST IS?

(PAUSE)

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S -- SO

FEDERAL MONEY IS ABOUT $58 BILLION, WHICH WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF $4

BILLION OVER THE '21-'22 LEVELS. THE STATE EXPENDITURE, IT'S ABOUT $34

BILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $7- OVER -- OVER THE EXECUTIVE,

AND THE LOCALS NUMBERS DON'T CHANGE, PROJECTED AT $8.2 BILLION, AN

INCREASE OF $655 MILLION OVER '21-'22 LEVELS.

MR. BYRNE: OKAY. WITH THE PROVISION IN THE

ONE-HOUSE RESOLUTION TO ELIMINATE THE CAP ON MEDICAID, THE GLOBAL CAP

ON MEDICAID, IS THERE ANY OTHER SAFEGUARDS THAT THE MAJORITY IS LOOKING

TO IMPOSE TO CONTROL THE GROWTH OF MEDICAID SPENDING?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, YOU'RE ASKING IF WE

DISREGARDED THE CAP IN PRIOR -- PRIOR YEARS, IT JUST HAS TO FIT WITHIN OUR

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SPENDING PLAN.

MR. BYRNE: OKAY. NOW, OVER THE LAST -- MEDICAID

CONTINUING, I MEAN YOU SAID $34 BILLION, THAT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF

MONEY AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT SERVED A LOT OF DIFFERENT

NEEDS FOR FOLKS IN NEW YORK, BUT IT HAS A WAY OF GROWING VERY QUICKLY

AND THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT I KNOW WHO WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT CAP

COMPLETELY ELIMINATED BECAUSE THOSE ARE DOLLARS IN THEIR POCKETS, AS

WELL, AND SOME OF THEM WORK VERY HARD, I'M NOT DISCOUNTING THAT, BUT IT

CAN BECOME UNSUSTAINABLE FOR TAXPAYERS, SO THAT'S A CONCERN THAT SOME

OF US HAVE. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE STATE HAS BEEN BEHIND ON

PROVIDING MEDICAID RECONCILIATION SAVINGS TO THE COUNTIES. DOES THIS

ONE-HOUSE PROPOSAL INCLUDE MEDICARE [SIC] REIMBURSEMENT TO COUNTIES

AND, IF SO, HOW MUCH AND IS THIS THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE TO COUNTIES SINCE

THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2016-2017?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE -- WE DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING

THAT THE EXECUTIVE PROPOSED IN THAT -- IN THAT AREA. AND YOU'RE ASKING

FOR THE CHANGE FROM 2017 UNTIL NOW IN THAT?

MR. BYRNE: YEAH, AS FAR AS DOLLARS OWED.

MS. WEINSTEIN: I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S MONEY THAT

IS BEING HELD BACK BY THE EXECUTIVE, BUT I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.

MR. BYRNE: THEN WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO

COMBAT THAT, OKAY. THE ESSENTIAL PLAN, I KNOW THIS ONE-HOUSE THERE'S

A -- IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S FAMILIAR BILL LANGUAGE TO A SEPARATE BILL I THINK WE

DISCUSSED IN THE HEALTH COMMITTEE TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY REGARDLESS OF

IMMIGRATION STATUS AND REGARDLESS OF FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT DOES NOT REQUIRE -- DOES IT REQUIRE THE STATE

TO AT LEAST SEEK PARTICIPATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? THE COST I

SEE IS $345 MILLION, BUT DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE IF THE FEDS

PARTICIPATED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE'S NOT AN INTENTION TO SEEK

REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE UNDER THE

FEDERAL ESSENTIAL PLAN PROGRAM.

MR. BYRNE: OKAY, UNDERSTOOD. SO THAT WOULD

MEAN THEN THAT WE'RE COMPLETELY RELYING ON THE STATE. IS THERE ANY

CONCERN THAT BY PUTTING THIS TYPE OF POLICY IN PLACE THAT IT WOULD

ENCOURAGE MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK,

BALLOONING THE COST OF THE ESSENTIAL PLAN TO THE STATE OF NEW YORK?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK THIS WILL

ACTUALLY -- THIS PLAN WILL REDUCE COSTS IN THE STATE BECAUSE THERE ARE

PEOPLE THAT ARE USING -- THIS WILL HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGE, BY HAVING

INSURANCE, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES INSTEAD

OF EMERGENCY ROOM SERVICES AS THEIR PRIMARY DOCTORS SO WE THINK IT

WILL ACTUALLY RESULT IN A REDUCTION IN MEDICAL COSTS TO THE STATE.

MR. BYRNE: OH, I THINK THERE'S CONCERNS THAT

PUTTING A POLICY IN PLACE THAT COULD ATTRACT MORE FOLKS WHERE THE STATE

PUTS OUT EXPENSES IT COULD JUST CONTINUE TO GROW, BUT I THINK WE'LL JUST

AGREE TO DISAGREE ON THAT. AS FAR AS PANDEMIC COSTS, I KNOW THERE IS

THE FUNDING HERE. DOES THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDE ANY FUNDING TO

EXAMINE THE STATE'S PANDEMIC RESPONSE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS,

INCLUDING ANY SORT OF INVESTIGATION INTO HOW THE STATE RESPONDED TO THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PANDEMIC IN OUR NURSING HOMES?

MS. WEINSTEIN: NO.

MR. BYRNE: I DIDN'T THINK SO. I JUST KNOW A LOT OF IT

HAS BEEN ASKED BEFORE, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS ON THE

RECORD. LET ME SEE... I'LL GO ON THE BILL, HOW ABOUT THAT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. BYRNE: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, MR.

BYRNE.

MR. BYRNE: I THINK I HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN TWO

MINUTES LEFT. I WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKER AND MY COLLEAGUES AND THE

CHAIR FOR INDULGING ME WITH ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS. THERE ARE

ALWAYS GOOD AND BAD IN EVERY BILL. I THINK THIS BILL -- THIS BUDGET HAS

GROWN TO AN EXTREMELY LARGE AMOUNT. WE SEEM TO BE COMPETING WITH

CALIFORNIA IN ALL THE WRONG WAYS. WE'RE LOOKING AT A $226 BILLION

BUDGET INCREASE, I THINK I FIRST CAME HERE, IT'S MY THIRD TERM, IN MY FIRST

TERM, THE FIRST BUDGET WAS CLOSE TO $157 MILLION [SIC] AND I THINK IT'S

KIND OF CRAZY TO THINK THAT WE'RE ALREADY AT $226 BILLION IN JUST FIVE TO

SIX YEARS.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS FOR FOLKS IN NEW

YORK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IMMEDIATELY IS PROVIDE RELIEF

TO THE FOLKS AT HOME BY LETTING THEM KEEP MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS

TO BEGIN WITH. THAT'S WHY WE ASKED ABOUT THE FUEL TAX. YOU KNOW,

SALES TAX, CONSUMPTION BASED TAXATION I THINK IS HIGHLY PREFERABLE TO

INCOME TAXES WHICH ARE PUNITIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WORK, OR EVEN PROPERTY

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TAXES TO AN EXTENT. BUT CONSUMPTION BASED TAXATION IS EXTREMELY

REGRESSIVE. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO PEOPLE THAT ARE

SUFFERING FROM INFLATION OR HIGH ENERGY COSTS BECAUSE OF GEOPOLITICAL

ISSUES, BECAUSE OF NATIONAL ISSUES, BECAUSE WE'RE NO LONGER AN ENERGY

INDEPENDENT NATION, OR BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO PREVIOUSLY HELD THE

EXECUTIVE POSITION MADE RIDICULOUS DECISIONS LIKE SHUTTING DOWN

INDIAN POINT. I THINK WE CAN PROVIDE MEANINGFUL RELIEF, I DON'T BELIEVE

THIS ONE-HOUSE RESOLUTION DOES THAT SO I WILL BE VOTING NO AND I

ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. PALMESANO.

MR. PALMESANO: YES, THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

WILL THE CHAIRWOMAN YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, CERTAINLY.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN

YIELDS, SIR.

MR. PALMESANO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A FEW

QUESTIONS FOR YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THE MTA CAPITAL PLAN -- OR THE MTA

OPERATING AID, THE BUDGET CALLS FOR DIRECT STATE SUPPORT FOR $3.8 BILLION,

AN $800 MILLION INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: HOLD ON ONE MOMENT, LET ME PULL

UP...

MR. PALMESANO: YES, STATE SUPPORT FOR THE MTA

OPERATING, $3.8 BILLION, $800 MORE THAN LAST YEAR -- $800 MILLION MORE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THAN LAST YEAR.

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, YES.

MR. PALMESANO: GREAT, THANK YOU. NOW FOR THE

CHIPS PROGRAM, THE PAVE-NY PROGRAM AND THE EXTREME WINTER

RECOVERY, KIND OF THE SIGNATURE FORMULA DRIVEN PROGRAMS FOR OUR LOCAL

MUNICIPALITIES. THOSE REMAIN FLAT AT $538- FOR CHIPS, $150- FOR

PAVE AND $100 MILLION FOR WINTER RECOVERY FOR A TOTAL OF $788

MILLION; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE HAVE BEEN -- WE'VE HAD SOME

INCREASES IN SOME -- IN SOME OF THESE ROADS PROGRAMS.

MR. PALMESANO: YEAH, AND I'LL GET TO THE POTHOLE

PROGRAM AND THE STATE TOURING ROADS IN A MINUTE, BUT THOSE THREE

SPECIFIC SIGNATURE PROGRAMS, PAVE, BRIDGE, AND WINTER RECOVERY ALL

REMAIN FLAT FOR A TOTAL OF $788 MILLION, CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE HAVE VERY LARGE INCREASE IN

THE TWO YEARS IN LOCAL CAPITAL AID FUNDING.

MR. PALMESANO: I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S

PROGRAMS. SO THE INCREASE IN THE MTA DIRECT SUPPORT AID TO THE MTA

OPERATING BUDGET, $800 MILLION, IS MORE THAN THE THREE SIGNATURE

PROGRAMS FOR THIS YEAR'S FUNDING FOR CHIPS, PAVE-NY AND EXTREME

WINTER RECOVERY, CORRECT, FOR THIS YEAR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: RIGHT, SO THE ROADS MONEY IS

FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THE MTA MONEY IS THE DEDICATED FUND TAX

REVENUES, SO THAT -- IT'S TWO DIFFERENT POTS OF -- OF MONEY.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. THE GOVERNOR HAS

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

PROPOSED A $100 MILLION POTHOLE PROGRAM. HOW IS THAT FUNDING GOING

TO BE DISTRIBUTED? IS IT GOING TO GO THROUGH A FORMULA DRIVEN PROGRAM

LIKE CHIPS OR WINTER RECOVERY? HOW ARE YOU ESTABLISHING THAT

PROGRAM TO WORK?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S STILL

UNDETERMINED.

MR. PALMESANO: SO THAT'S NOT DETERMINED YET.

NOW, I SAW THAT YOU ADDED $100 MILLION FOR THE STATE TOURING ROADS

PROGRAM. THAT BENEFITS ABOUT 120-PLUS MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE

STATE, CORRECT? CITIES MANLY AND OTHER TOWNS, ABOUT 120

MUNICIPALITIES.

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE REALLY ARE QUITE A FEW

MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE STATE ROADS THAT RUN THROUGH THEM THAT THEY

PREVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO REPAIR, SO THIS IS BASED -- SO WE ADDED

THE $100 MILLION AS A TOTAL OF $200 MILLION AND IT'S BASED ON OUR PER

MILE OF STATE ROADS WITHIN -- THE DISTRIBUTION OF THAT MONEY WILL BE

BASED ON --

MR. PALMESANO: RIGHT, BUT IT'S ABOUT A ROUGH

ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 120, GIVE OR TAKE, MUNICIPALITIES COMPARED TO THE

1,500 MUNICIPALITIES THAT GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE CHIPS

AND WINTER RECOVERY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER IN

FRONT OF ME, BUT PART OF THE DOT, PART OF OUR -- THE FIRST YEAR OF A

FIVE-YEAR PLAN, IN TERMS OF ROADS OF WHEN WE SKIP THE TRANSIT, BUT WE

ADD $136 MILLION TO THE CAPITAL PLAN FOR ROAD AND BRIDGES, TO MAINTAIN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THIS FUNDING AT HISTORIC -- HISTORICALLY HIGH LEVELS, THAT'S AN INCREASE OF

4.7.

MR. PALMESANO: YEAH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT,

MADAM CHAIR. WITH THE STATE TOURING ROADS, THAT MONEY HAS TO GO FOR

THOSE SPECIFIC ROADS, IT DOESN'T GO TO THE MUNICIPALITY TO DECIDE HOW TO

SPEND THOSE DOLLARS LIKE THEY DO WITH THE CHIPS PROGRAM, CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: ANY MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS THE

STATE ROAD PASSING THROUGH IT QUALIFIES FOR FUNDING.

MR. PALMESANO: RIGHT, AND IT HAS TO BE USED ON

THOSE SPECIFIC ROADS THAT QUALIFY, CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, YES, BUT THEN OBVIOUSLY

BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR THOSE ROADS --

MR. PALMESANO: SURE.

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- IT THEN FREES UP EQUIVALENT

NUMBER OF DOLLARS FOR OTHER USES.

MR. PALMESANO: IF THEY'RE ONE OF THE 120-PLUS

MUNICIPALITIES THAT BENEFIT FROM THIS FUNDING. OKAY, I'D LIKE TO TALK

ABOUT THE PROVISION IN YOUR BUDGET ABOUT THE IDA FLOODING -- FLOODING

FROM IDA VICTIMS, THE $50 MILLION. I KNOW BACK IN SEPTEMBER AFTER THE

IDA FLOODING HAPPENED, I KNOW IT WAS A TRAGIC, THIS TROPICAL FLOOD THAT

HAPPENED. THIS IS -- SO THIS IS JUST SPECIFIC FOR IDA, JUST SPECIFIC FOR

NEW YORK CITY, CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: ANYWHERE WHERE THERE WAS

FLOODING AS A RESULT OF -- IT'S NOT JUST IDA, ANY KIND OF NATURAL DISASTER.

MR. PALMESANO: SO YOU'RE SAYING THIS FLOODING

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

-- THIS $50 MILLION IN THIS -- IN THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION YOU'RE

SUBMITTING TO US TODAY, WOULD IT BE ELIGIBLE FOR TROPICAL STORM FRED

THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE IDA --

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. PALMESANO: -- IN UPSTATE NEW YORK THAT

WAS DEVASTATING, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THIS FUNDING AS

WELL?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY, SO IT'S NOT JUST FOR IDA,

BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE UNDER --

MS. WEINSTEIN: NO, AND EVEN GOING BACK TO

SANDY IF THEY ARE UNREIMBURSED, IF THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT WERE

INCURRED BY FEMA, THAT $50 MILLION COULD BE REQUESTED FOR THAT

SUPPORT, ALSO.

MR. PALMESANO: SO THIS WOULD BE FOR ANY REGION

THAT WAS DEVASTATED BY STORMS, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE AND IT WOULD BE

REIMBURSABLE FOR COSTS SO IF THEY ALREADY REPLACED A BOILER OR A HOT

WATER TANK, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THESE COSTS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: AFTER FEMA, AFTER INSURANCE,

YES.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT

SOME OF THE GREEN -- GREEN ENERGY PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY I KNOW

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS

INFRASTRUCTURE. OBVIOUSLY FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND FROM THE

MAJORITY'S PERSPECTIVE, IS NEW YORK STATE READY TO -- AND ABLE TO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SUPPORT THE REALLY SIGNIFICANT, GIGANTIC INCREASES IN THE ELECTRICAL

DEMAND FOR THIS EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE PLACED

UPON IT? I KNOW THAT NYISO HAD INDICATED JUST FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES IT

WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL 4.2 MILLION MEGAWATTS OF ADDITIONAL

ENERGY USE ON A YEARLY BASIS, AND THEY ESTIMATED THAT IT WOULD BE

ENOUGH TO POWER 58 -- 580,000 HOMES. SOMEONE REFERRED TO IT AS 1.3

BILLION HOMES FOR ONE HOUR. SO DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE THE ENERGY

INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I THINK SO, AND, YOU KNOW, FROM

THE HEARINGS WE'VE REQUESTED NYSERDA TO PREPARE A PLAN ABOUT HOW

WE WOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF THE INCREASE IN EV CHARGING STATIONS.

MR. PALMESANO: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, ANY

ESTIMATES FROM YOUR SIDE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO PUT THIS

INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO MEET THIS DEMAND?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THE PSC IS GOING ALONG WITH

NYSERDA, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PLANS AND WE'LL -- WHEN WE SEE

THOSE PLANS, THEN WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THE KIND OF COSTS THAT ARE

INVOLVED.

MR. PALMESANO: FAIR ENOUGH. THE

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN LABOR USES ASSOCIATED WITH NICKEL, LITHIUM,

COBALT AND RARE MINING, ALL WHICH IS DRIVEN BY THE NEED FOR THESE

MATERIALS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND BATTERIES IS WELL DOCUMENTED,

INCLUDING THE SCHOOL BUSES AND OTHER BUSES. HOW DOES THE MAJORITY

AND YOU GUYS ADDRESS THE SITUATION THAT -- THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING

ON WITH THESE ISSUES, THE CHILD LABOR LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 70 PERCENT OF THE

COBALT THAT IS EXTRACTED, MADE AND USED IN THESE BATTERIES THAT ARE BEING

PLACED IN OUR ELECTRIC VEHICLES, OUR ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES. HOW DO YOU

RECONCILE THAT, WITH THE HUMAN RELATIONS, HUMAN IMPACT, SOCIETAL

IMPACT AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, ESPECIALLY WITH LITHIUM AS WELL WITH

THE WATER THAT'S USED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I DON'T THINK WHAT -- WE DON'T IN

THIS BUDGET, BUT I DON'T THINK WHAT YOU ARE SAYING RELATES JUST TO THE --

TO THE EV.

MR. PALMESANO: NO, I'M NOT -- I MEAN, IT'S

ANYTHING WITH BATTERIES. I MEAN, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE AMOUNT OF COBALT,

70 PERCENT OF THE COBALT THAT IS USED IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND IN

BATTERIES IS BEING MINED IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, WHICH

IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THERE'S SOME 40,000 CHILD LABOR WORKERS ON

THIS, SOME AS YOUNG AS SIX YEARS OLD. HOW DO WE RECONCILE THAT IN

DEALING WITH THE FACT THAT THERE'S CHILD LABOR, AND ISN'T IT KIND OF IRONIC

THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR OUR SCHOOL BUSES THAT ARE

KIDS ARE GOING TO BE RIDING ON AND UNDERNEATH THEM ARE GOING TO BE

BATTERIES THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER BY CHILD LABOR OUT OF THE DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLIC OF CONGO, ISN'T THAT KIND OF IRONIC AND DISTURBING WHEN WE

THINK ABOUT THAT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE

MORE EV CHARGING STATIONS WE HAVE, THE SMALLER THE BATTERIES CAN BE

AND LESS DEMAND FOR COBALT THERE WOULD BE.

MR. PALMESANO: WELL, EVEN LITHIUM IS ANOTHER

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

AREA. I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN THE AMOUNT OF INTENSITY, THAT WATER INTENSITY,

WE ALWAYS HEAR IT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OTHER TYPES OF ENERGY EXTRACTION

WITH THE AMOUNT OF WATER IS USED, THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY -- WATER THAT'S

BEING USED WITH LITHIUM IS BEING RESURFACED AND GOING AND POISONING

WATER AND SOME OF THESE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES AND THE FACT THAT CHINA

HAS A TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE RARE EARTH MATERIALS MARKET, ABOUT 89

PERCENT. HOW DO WE RECONCILE THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TOTALLY

DEPENDENT ON CHINA FOR OUR ENERGY POLICY AS WE WANT TO TRY TO GET OFF

OF FOSSIL FUELS AND NATURAL GAS AND GO TOWARDS SOLAR PANELS AND WIND

AND BATTERIES.

MS. WEINSTEIN: YOU KNOW, IT'S ANY BATTERY. WE

DON'T ADDRESS THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUES IN THIS BUDGET.

MR. PALMESANO: WELL, I KNOW, BUT IT'S IRONIC

WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT, WHENEVER I BRING UP THE ISSUE OF WHY ARE WE

-- WHY ARE WE ADVANCING THIS CLCPA WHEN NEW YORK ONLY

CONTRIBUTES .5 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL CARBON EMISSIONS IN THE WORLD WHILE

CHINA CONTRIBUTES 29 PERCENT AND IS BUILDING COAL PLANTS HAND OVER FIST,

BUT WHEN WE BRING THAT UP YOU SAY, WELL, NEW YORK'S GOING TO LEAD,

EVERYONE'S GOING TO FOLLOW US, BUT YOU WANT TO LEAD ON THAT, BUT YOU

DON'T WANT TO LEAD ON DEALING WITH CHILD LABOR ISSUES WITH THE COBALT

THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, KIDS HAVE

DIED, KIDS HAVE BEEN MAIMED IN THESE KIND OF PLANTS. HOW COME WHEN

WE BRING THAT UP TO YOU GUYS, WE BRING IT UP TO THE COMMISSIONER OF

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, NO ONE WANTS TO ADDRESS IT, THEY JUST

WANT TO SAY IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S ISSUE, IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

ISSUE AND IT'S NOT OUR ISSUE. AND I JUST DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN SAY YOU

WANT TO LEAD ON ONE BUT NOT LEAD ON THE OTHER. BUT THAT WAS MORE OF A

STATEMENT, I GUESS, THAN A QUESTION, I APOLOGIZE.

ON THE COST SIDE OF IT, IS THERE ANYTHING RELATIVE TO

THESE POLICIES IMPLEMENTING ON THE COST IMPLICATION THAT IS GOING TO

COME UPON CITIZENS FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLCPA AND SOME

OF THESE POLICIES THAT WOULD KIND OF OFFSET SOME OF THIS? IS THERE ANY

WAY THAT -- ANY LANGUAGE THAT WOULD SAY IF WE HAD SIGNIFICANT COST

INCREASES, WOULD WE TAKE A PAUSE ON SOME OF THESE POLICIES? ANY

LANGUAGE IN YOUR BUDGET BILL SAYING IF THERE'S SIGNIFICANT COST INCREASES

ON SOME OF THESE POLICIES, AS FAR AS AFFORDABILITY, WE CAN STOP AND

PAUSE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S -- WE

DON'T HAVE THINGS IN THIS BUDGET, BUT THE CLIMATE ACTION POLICY

COUNCIL IS COMING UP WITH SPECIFIC PROPOSALS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO

ADDRESS AS WE GO FORWARD.

MR. PALMESANO: ALL RIGHT. AND I SEE THAT THERE'S

$500 MILLION TO HELP WITH UTILITY ARREARS FROM STATE TAXPAYERS. IT'S ALSO

MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PSC HAS COLLECTED -- AUTHORIZED COLLECTION

OF ABOUT $3.4 BILLION IN ANY LAST YEAR THROUGH THE CLEAN ENERGY FUND,

AND OF THAT $3.4 BILLION, SOME HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, SOME HAS BEEN

OBLIGATED, BUT THERE'S ABOUT $1.4 BILLION THAT'S STILL SITTING THERE IN THE

UTILITY'S HANDS. WOULDN'T IT BE SMARTER -- I UNDERSTAND GREEN AND CLEAN

ENERGY IS A PRIORITY OF YOURS, BUT WOULDN'T -- THAT MIGHT BE A PRIORITY

BUT IT'S NOT URGENT LIKE THESE ARREARS. WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO USE SOME

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

OF THIS $1.4 BILLION TO HELP SETTLE SOME OF THESE ENERGY BILLS, THESE

UTILITY ARREARS, VERSUS ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL $500 MILLION FROM THE

TAXPAYERS WHO ARE ALREADY PAYING HIGH ENERGY BILLS AND ARE ALREADY

PAYING THESE TAXES. WHY HIT THEM AGAIN? WHY NOT USE WHAT'S IN THERE

ALREADY? AND WE CAN PUT OFF SOME OF THOSE CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS, AND

I THINK THAT'S MORE OF A PRIORITY, LET'S USE THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE THERE

INSTEAD OF ASKING $500 MILLION MORE FROM THE TAXPAYERS.

MS. WEINSTEIN: I DO THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT

MONEY IS THERE, IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED, BUT A LOT OF IT --

MR. PALMESANO: SOME --

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- HAS BEEN ALLOCATED.

MR. PALMESANO: -- HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, SOME OF

IT HAS BEEN OBLIGATED, BUT THE REST IS JUST SITTING THERE WAITING FOR IT TO

BE DONE. I'M SAYING LET'S USE SOME OF THAT. WE SHOULD BE AT LEAST

EXPLORING -- EXPLORE USING THAT TO HELP WITH THE ARREARS RATHER THAN ASK

FOR $500 MILLION FOR THE TAXPAYERS, BUT THANK YOU.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, IT DOES HAVE A PURPOSE.

MR. PALMESANO: I UNDERSTAND --

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE'S AN INTENDED PURPOSE AND

IT JUST HASN'T BEEN ALLOCATED --

MR. PALMESANO: RIGHT.

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- SO THAT'S WHY WE THINK THE

$500 --

MR. PALMESANO: FAIR ENOUGH.

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- MILLION HELPS UTILITIES.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. PALMESANO: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR

TIME.

MR. SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR.

MR. PALMESANO: I WANT TO TRY TO TOUCH ON THESE

AS QUICK AS I CAN WITH THE LITTLE BIT OF TIME I HAVE LEFT. THIS BUDGET

PROPOSAL SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY, $8 BILLION MORE THAN THE GOVERNOR,

$14 BILLION MORE THAN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR. I'M KIND OF SHOCKED WHEN

WE'RE FACING A $11.4 -- $11.4 BILLION BUDGET SURPLUS AND $13.4 BILLION

IN FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE AID, AND THERE'S NOT A SINGLE INCREASE IN THE

CHIPS PROGRAM OR WINTER RECOVERY. EVEN THE SENATE DOWN THE HALL

HAS PUT $250 MILLION INCREASE FOR CHIPS AND $50 MILLION FOR WINTER

RECOVERY BUT, YET, IN THE SAME BUDGET WE HAVE $800 MILLION INCREASE

FOR THE MTA OPERATING AID TO THE TOTAL OF $3.8 BILLION. THAT'S MORE

THAN CHIPS, WINTER RECOVERY AND PAVE-NY TOTAL. AND THIS POTHOLE

PROGRAM THAT'S NOT ALLOCATED, THAT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE CHIPS

FORMULA. ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE POTHOLES, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT

ISSUE AND BALANCE IT OFF. THE STATE TOURING ROADS, THERE'S ABOUT 120

COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED, CHIPS AFFECTS ALL 1,500

MUNICIPALITIES IN OUR STATE. THEY SHOULD ALL BENEFIT FROM THAT.

I WON'T GET INTO THE FLOODING ISSUE, WE TALKED ABOUT

THAT, BUT THE CLCPA IS A RUNAWAY FREIGHT TRAIN HEADING TOWARDS THE

TAXPAYERS OF THIS STATE AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA. WHEN NEW YORK ONLY

CONTRIBUTES .5 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL CARBON EMISSIONS IN THE WORLD AND

CHINA'S AT 29 PERCENT, THERE'S NO TALK ABOUT COST OR AFFORDABILITY. NO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TALK ABOUT RELIABILITY, ONLY CLEAN AND GREEN BUT, YET, WHEN WE TALK

ABOUT THE CHILD ABUSE LABOR ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE EXTRACTION

OF THIS RARE EARTH MATERIAL, THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS

THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY THIS SIDE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE

THE GREEN IS NOT GREEN AS YOU THINK IT IS.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. MANKTELOW.

MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

WOULD THE SPONSOR YIELD FOR JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS, PLEASE?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I

HAVE A QUESTION ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT. IN THE ONE-HOUSE

BUDGET, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF $4

BILLION TO $5 BILLION; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. MANKTELOW: AND WHAT WILL THIS ACT DO?

MS. WEINSTEIN: LET ME GET THE LIST OF ITEMS. IT'S

NOT THAT ARE -- WOULD BE ELIGIBLE, BUT IT'S NOT BROKEN DOWN SINCE THE

BOND ACT FIRST HAS TO PASS.

(PAUSE)

SO THE CATEGORIES ARE RESTORATION AND FLOOD RISK

REDUCTION PROJECTS, OPEN SPAN -- SPACE LAND CONVERSATION RECREATIONAL

PROJECTS, CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION PROJECTS, WATER QUALITY

IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND GENERAL PURPOSES OF THE CLEAN WATER, CLEAN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

AIR AND GREEN JOBS ENVIRONMENTAL WOULD BE INCLUDED.

MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY, THANK YOU. BACK TO THE

CLEAN AIR PART OF IT. HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE CLEAN AIR ACT, I GUESS,

BOND ACT, HOW DO YOU FORESEE THAT MOVING FORWARD? HOW WILL THAT

WORK?

MS. WEINSTEIN: HOLD ON A MOMENT, PLEASE.

(PAUSE)

SO THE -- WELL, THE ADDITIONAL BILLING THAT WE ADD

WOULD BE -- IF YOU WANT JUST TO KNOW THE CLEAN AIR, IT WOULD BE $300

MILLION TO COMBAT AIR POLLUTION IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

COMMUNITIES, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE. THE FUNDING TO COMBAT

WATER POLLUTION, TO COMBAT URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT FOR ENERGY

EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS AT STATE-OWNED BUILDINGS.

AND I THINK I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT INCLUDING LAND FOR ACQUISITION

AND WATER PROTECTION.

MR. MANKTELOW: ALL RIGHT. ON THE AIR POLLUTION,

MADAM CHAIR, HOW MUCH OF THE AIR POLLUTION COMES FROM OUTSIDE OF

NEW YORK STATE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: I HAVE NO IDEA.

MR. MANKTELOW: HOW ABOUT THE WATER

POLLUTION? HOW MUCH OF THAT COMES INTO NEW YORK THROUGH THE GREAT

LAKES, THROUGH THE CANAL SYSTEM?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, YOU KNOW,

WHERE THE ORIGIN OF SOME OF THE WATER POLLUTION IS SO THAT'S WHY WE

HAVE FUNDING TO COMBAT WATER POLLUTION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY. SO IS IT OKAY TO SAY OR

IS IT RIGHT TO ASSUME THAT TODAY AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH

OF THE POLLUTION IS COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK STATE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THE AIR POLLUTION, YOU KNOW, I

THINK IS MOSTLY COMBUSTIBLE WITHIN NEW YORK STATE.

MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY. SO I KNOW IN NEW

YORK STATE -- I KNOW IN NEW YORK STATE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OF

THE MOST STRINGENT AIR CLEANING POLICIES, YOU KNOW, OVERSEEN BY DEC,

OF COURSE, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE EPA ON THE FEDERAL SIDE.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $4- TO $5 BILLION

POSSIBLY ON TAXPAYER'S MONEY TO LOOK AT CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER, WE

DO NOT KNOW HOW THE AIR AND THE WATER IS GETTING CONTAMINATED THIS

TIME. I'M SURE A LOT OF IT'S COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK. WOULD

THIS NOT BE MORE OF A FEDERAL ISSUE AND SHOULD THIS NOT BE ADDRESSED

FROM THE FEDERAL SIDE INSTEAD OF PUTTING THIS COST ON THE TAXPAYERS OF

NEW YORK STATE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE'RE LOOKING AT POLLUTION WITHIN

OUR STATE AS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO ELIMINATING POLLUTION WITHIN NEW

YORK STATE. THERE ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS ALSO THAT ADDRESS SOME OF THE

POLLUTION ISSUES.

MR. MANKTELOW: WELL, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT

FROM THE NEW YORK STATE SIDE.

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES, WE'RE DOING NEW YORK STATE

PROJECTS.

MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY. WELL, IF WE CLEAN UP

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

NEW YORK AND THE AIR IS STILL COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK

STATE AND, AGAIN, POLLUTING THE SAME AIR THAT WE JUST CLEANED, ISN'T THIS

LIKE THROWING MONEY INTO A BUCKET WITH NO BOTTOM?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY DO

WHAT WE CAN DO. SO WE CAN CONTROL POLLUTION WITHIN NEW YORK STATE.

TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S POLLUTION IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, OTHER

PARTS OF THE WORLD, WE IN NEW YORK STATE CAN'T CONTROL THAT.

MR. MANKTELOW: NO, NO. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY

RIGHT, BUT WHAT WE CAN CONTROL IS THE SPENDING AND IF WHAT WE'RE DOING

ISN'T GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION, THEN WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE

SPEND OUR TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS TO DO SOMETHING THAT ISN'T GOING TO

ULTIMATELY CLEAN THE AIR? IT -- I'M SORRY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL IT'S A

BOND ACT --

MR. MANKTELOW: I UNDERSTAND.

MS. WEINSTEIN: -- SO OUR CONSTITUENTS, THE

RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK STATE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE

BOND ACT AND TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY AND I THINK -- I

DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE EARLIER WHEN I MENTIONED JUST SOME OF THE

FINDINGS OF POLLUTION ARE, IN FACT, VERY LOCAL, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN

STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT INCREASED ASTHMA RATES OCCUR IN -- PARTICULARLY IN

CHILDREN THAT ARE LIVING CLOSE TO HIGHWAYS, THAT -- IN COMMUNITIES

WHERE THERE ARE FEWER TREES THAT THE AIR POLLUTION IS WORSE. THAT, AGAIN,

THE ASTHMA AND OTHER KINDS OF BREATHING ISSUES ARE GREATER SO THAT

CERTAINLY POINTS TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS POLLUTION THAT'S AFFECTING THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

HEALTH OF NEW YORKERS THAT'S VERY LOCALIZED. SO WE NEED TO SPEND THE

MONEY TO HELP IN THOSE -- THOSE COMMUNITIES. THERE'S WATER POLLUTION,

LEAD IN -- REPLACEMENT OF LEAD PIPES THAT HAVE LEACHED INTO

COMMUNITIES, INTO HOMES. SO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF LOCAL ISSUES.

WHATEVER MAY EXIST THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD,

WE CAN'T ADDRESS, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE ENOUGH LOCAL ISSUES THAT CAN

ADDRESS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.

MR. MANKTELOW: YEAH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT,

AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE SITUATION WITH THE LEAD SOLDER ON OUR WATER

PIPES THROUGHOUT ALL THE -- A LOT OF HOMES AND BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK

STATE. I BELIEVE THAT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE LEAD CONTRIBUTING ISSUE

TO WATER. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME ON THAT ONE.

BACK TO THE TAX CAP. DO YOU KNOW THAT MOST OF OUR --

ALL OF OUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE 2 PERCENT TAX

CAP, AND I KNOW OUR SCHOOLS HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT, AS WELL, BUT THEY

HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE VOTERS TO APPROVE ANYTHING, TO OVERRIDE THAT TAX

CAP. THE 2 PERCENT TAX CAP REALLY ISN'T 2 PERCENT. I WAS A TOWN

SUPERVISOR FOR NINE YEARS AND IF YOU DO THE NUMBERS AND THE MATH, IT'S

NEVER 2 PERCENT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE

INTO THAT EQUATION. WHERE HERE, IN NEW YORK STATE, I'M JUST LOOKING AT

THIS AGAIN TO MAKE SURE I'M RIGHT, THE 30 DAY EXECUTIVE BUDGET VERSUS

THE ASSEMBLY ONE-HOUSE SPENDING PLAN, ALL FUNDS ON AVERAGE IS 3.62

PERCENT INCREASE. THE STATE OPERATING FUNDS IS 5.1 PERCENT. AND THEN

I LOOKED AT THE ENACTED BUDGET FROM 2021 VERSUS 2022-'23, ALL-FUNDS

ARE AT 6.32 PERCENT, THE STATE OPERATING FUNDS WILL BE AT 10.28 PERCENT.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

HOW IS IT THAT WE AS LEGISLATORS THAT CAN ENACT A 2 PERCENT TAX CAP NOT

ABIDE BY THOSE SAME RULES? HOW CAN WE DO THAT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, THAT 2 PERCENT CAP FOR THE

SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS -- WAS ENACTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND, AS YOU

SAID, IT'S JUST A NUMBER. THERE CAN BE A VOTE TO GO OVER THAT NUMBER.

PART OF WHAT FUELS THE INCREASE IN OUR SPENDING HAS TO DO WITH SOME OF

THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, THE PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS

THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. SO THAT IS -- AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN DESPITE THAT

WE HAVE A YEAR TO YEAR, WE ARE HAVING AN INCREASE IN REVENUES SO WE

HAVE THE FUNDS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE

NECESSARY HELP FOR NEW YORKERS.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO BECAUSE WE RECEIVED MORE

FUNDING FROM REVENUE AND BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED MORE FEDERAL

DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO SPEND THAT MONEY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE

GIVING -- WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY, BUT WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE -- THE WAY

WE'RE SPENDING MONEY, WE'RE GIVING RELIEF TO UTILITY CUSTOMERS, WE'RE

GIVING RELIEF TO TAXPAYERS AROUND THE STATE, WE'RE APPLYING A CHILD CARE

-- YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE -- SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS.

MR. MANKTELOW: DOES EVERY UTILITY CUSTOMER

GET A REBATE OR RELIEF?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THE PSC -- THERE'S $500 MILLION

THAT WE'RE DEDICATING FOR THE UTILITY RELIEF. THE PSC WILL COME UP WITH

A PLAN, I THINK YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S CURRENTLY THE HEAP PLAN THAT

MANY CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF. THERE'S BEEN FEDERAL

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

INCREASES IN DOLLARS FOR THE HEAP PROGRAM UNDER COVID RELIEF. SO

WE'RE ASKING THE PSC TO COME UP WITH A PLAN HOW WE ALLOCATE THE --

HOW THEY WOULD ALLOCATE THE $500 MILLION.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO THEY'RE BASICALLY GOING TO

COME UP WITH A PLAN ON HOW WE, AS LEGISLATORS IN NEW YORK STATE, ARE

GOING DISTRIBUTE THAT MONEY; IS THAT RIGHT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THEY'RE GOING TO -- NOT HOW WE'RE

GOING TO DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY, THE PSC WILL HAVE A PLAN THAT UTILITY

CUSTOMERS WHO ARE IN ARREARS WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO ONLY CUSTOMERS THAT ARE IN

THE ARREARS WILL GET SOME KIND OF HELP, VERSUS A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT'S ON

A FIXED INCOME, THAT INDIVIDUAL OR THAT FAMILY WILL NOT GET ANY HELP; IS

THAT RIGHT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: JUST LIKE -- IT'S TO ADDRESS THE

ARREARS. JUST LIKE THE HEAP PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ARREARS IN

ORDER TO QUALIFY. THERE ALSO WAS FEDERAL COVID RELIEF FUNDS THAT

HELPED WITH UTILITY ARREARS, SO IT'S -- THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ARREARS AND

PERSON DESCRIBED AS AN ELDERLY PERSON ON A FIXED INCOME, THEY MAY

ALREADY QUALIFY FOR AN EXISTING STATE OR FEDERAL RELIEF PROGRAM.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO SOME OF OUR BUILDING

OWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND LANDLORDS, WILL THEY RECEIVE ANY OF THAT

FUNDING?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S -- IT'S NOT INTENDED. IT'S FOR

RESIDENTIAL -- INTENDED FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.

MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY. ANOTHER THING I SEE IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THE ONE-HOUSE BUDGET IS THE BEGINNING FARMERS NEW YORK FUND. IT'S

FUNDED AT $5 MILLION. DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED OR

HOW THAT WILL BE PRIORITIZED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THAT WOULD BE A GRANT PROGRAM.

MR. MANKTELOW: AND THERE'S TALK ABOUT IT BEING

PRIORITIZED; HOW DOES THAT -- HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO WE DO INCLUDE ARTICLE VII

LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE PRIORITY FOR APPLICANTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY OR

SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MINORITY-

AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES, SERVICE

DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES AND IMMIGRANT FARMERS.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO BUT THE CRITERIA IS YOU HAVE

TO BE A BEGINNING FARMER; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. MANKTELOW: AND WHAT -- WHO DETERMINES

WHAT A BEGINNING FARMER IS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: LESS THAN TEN YEARS.

MR. MANKTELOW: LESS THAN TEN YEARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. MANKTELOW: AHH, I WISH THIS WAS AROUND

LIKE 20 YEARS AGO.

MS. WEINSTEIN: TWENTY YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T HAVE

THIS FUNDING.

MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY. I KNOW I ONLY HAVE LIKE

37 SECONDS, SO I WON'T GO IN ON THE NEXT QUESTION. I'LL EXPLAIN MY VOTE.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. MANKTELOW: AND, MR. SPEAKER, THANK YOU

FOR THE TIME AND I'LL -- CAN I GET MY OTHER 15 MINUTES?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: CAN YOU -- SOMEONE

HAS ALREADY GOTTEN IT. MR. RA PRECEDED YOU ON THE 15 MINUTE

INCLUSION.

MR. MANKTELOW: IT'S ALL RIGHT. I'LL EXPLAIN MY

VOTE THEN. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

MR. GOODELL.

MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WOULD

THE SPONSOR YIELD?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WEINSTEIN, WILL

YOU YIELD?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES. YES.

MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MS. WEINSTEIN. AND

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR DEALING WITH ALL THESE QUESTIONS. IT'S QUITE A

REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT. I WANT TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT A COUPLE

OF THE TAX CREDITS. I SEE THAT WE HAVE NEW EMPIRE STATE DIGITAL

GAMING MEDIA PRODUCTION CREDIT, THAT'S A $20 MILLION TAX CREDIT FOR

PEOPLE THAT PRODUCE VIDEO GAMES? IS THAT WHAT THAT'S FOR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. GOODELL: AND AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES

MENTIONED, WE HAVE A FARMER'S ENHANCED TAX CREDIT THAT WOULD BE AN

INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT FOR FARM WORKFORCE RETENTION, FARM WORK

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

EMPLOYER OVERTIME TAX CREDIT AND THAT'S --

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES. NO OVERTIME CREDIT IS

ADVANCEABLE.

MR. GOODELL: MM-HMM. AND THAT SAYS $16

MILLION FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES.

MR. GOODELL: ON THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT

I SEE THAT'S A MAJOR TAX CREDIT, AND I SEE -- ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE THE

FACT THAT WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT PAYING THAT SOMEWHAT IN ADVANCE

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE POOR AND YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS

MEET IT'S TOUGH TO WAIT FOR A YEAR TO GET THE INVESTMENT INCOME -- THE

EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT. IN ORDER TO HAVE AN EARNED INCOME TAX

CREDIT DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER?

MS. WEINSTEIN: EITHER THE SOCIAL SECURITY

NUMBER OR, THE, YOU KNOW, THE ITN NUMBER. WE MAKE THOSE

INDIVIDUAL -- WE ALLOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BE ELIGIBLE.

MR. GOODELL: I SEE. OKAY --

MS. WEINSTEIN: AND AGAIN, STILL, AS -- AS YOU SAY

THEY HAVE TO STILL EARN IT AND COME IN AND FILE THEIR TAX RETURN IN ORDER

TO RECEIVE THE CREDIT. IT'S -- IT'S NOT ADVANCEABLE IN THAT WAY.

MR. GOODELL: ALL RIGHT. I SEE THAT THE

ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT LANGUAGE AS WELL AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE

IMPROVEMENT ACT AND THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION FUND ALL REQUIRE A

PLA, A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT; IS THAT CORRECT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: YES. YES.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. GOODELL: SO, IN MY COUNTY WE HAVE A COUPLE

OF GREAT UNION CONTRACTORS, PARTICULARLY IN OUR ELECTRICAL BUSINESS. BUT

WE DON'T ANY GENERAL CONTRACTORS, LARGE GENERAL CONTRACTORS OR UNIONS.

SO DOES THIS THEN PRECLUDE ANY OF MY LOCAL GENERAL CONTRACTORS FROM

PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THEY -- THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IF

THEY SIGN THE PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT.

MR. GOODELL: SO THE ONLY WAY A NON-UNION

CONTRACTOR COULD PARTICIPATE IS IF THEY SIGN A UNION CONTRACT?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, JUST IN THE -- THE LABOR

AGREEMENT FOR THAT PROJECT.

MR. GOODELL: I SEE. NOW OF COURSE THIS REQUIRES

ALL -- ALL ELECTRIC BUSES TO BE ZERO EMISSION WITHIN TWO YEARS. IS THERE

ANY APPROPRIATION IN THIS BUDGET FOR THAT PROCESS, THAT CONVERSION?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT -- I THINK AS I MENTIONED

EARLIER, YOU KNOW, SINCE THAT IT'S A REIMBURSABLE TRANSPORTATION

EXPENSE, SO IT'S -- IN THAT SENSE WHATEVER IT COSTS THERE'S A DOLLAR

ALLOCATION FOR WHATEVER IT COSTS TO -- TO DO THAT. THAT'S A REIMBURSABLE

EXPENSE UNDER THE EDUCATION FORMULA.

MR. GOODELL: IS THERE ANY EXCEPTION FROM THE

REQUIREMENT TO HAVE ELECTRIC BUSES BASED ON THE SOURCE OF THE ELECTRIC

POWER? AND THE REASON I ASK THAT IS MOST OF MY COUNTY AND MUCH OF

THE SOUTHERN TIER IS POWERED BY A LARGE COAL PLANT IN HOMER CITY,

PENNSYLVANIA. AND I'M HESITANT TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE COST OF A SCHOOL

BUS SO THAT THEY'RE POWERED BY COAL. IS THERE AN EXCLUSION BASED ON THE

100

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

SOURCE OF THE POWER?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THERE -- THERE'S NO EXCLUSION THAT

WE HAVE WITHIN THE -- OUR PROPOSAL.

MR. GOODELL: SO WE CAN TRIPLE THE COST OF SCHOOL

BUSES AND THEN WATCH THEM BEING POWERED BY COAL, HUH? I GUESS. YOU

DON'T NEED TO ANSWER THAT, IT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION. SORRY.

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT'S -- IT'S NOT A --

MR. GOODELL: NOW I SEE WE HAVE THREE OTHER --

MS. WEINSTEIN: IT WON'T BE A TRIPLING OF -- WE

DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL BE A -- A TRIPLING OF THE COST BECAUSE THAT'S ONE -- AS

I -- I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT'S ONE OF THE EXCLUSIONS -- THE

COMMISSIONER CAN EXCLUDE THE REQUIREMENT BASE -- BASED UPON THE --

THE COST IF IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE OR THE TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T EXIST.

MR. GOODELL: JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, I MEAN, THIS IS

A MAJOR ISSUE IN MY COUNTY BECAUSE OUR NUMBER ONE EMPLOYER IS

CUMMINS ENGINE COMPANY, AND THEY'VE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES TO

HAVE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED -- A DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS.

THEY'RE ALSO MOVING TO DUAL-FUEL DIESELS. AND SO HERE WE HAVE AN

IRONY WHERE WE HAVE LEGISLATION THAT DRAMATICALLY INCREASES THE COST OF

SCHOOL BUSES AND MAKES IT ILLEGAL FOR THEM TO USE LOW-EMISSION DIESEL

ENGINES THAT ARE PRODUCED LOCALLY, AND INSTEAD REQUIRES THEM TO USE

COAL POWER THAT'S GENERATED UPWIND IN PENNSYLVANIA. HEY, IT'S JUST ONE

OF THOSE QUIRKY THINGS.

MS. WEINSTEIN: YOU KNOW, IT'S -- THE DEBT -- WE'RE

TALKING ABOUT 2035. AND WHO KNOWS IF THAT -- IT COULD BE DELAYED, AND

101

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

WHO KNOWS IF THE COAL PRODUCTION WILL STILL BE HAPPENING IN

PENNSYLVANIA OR IF THERE'S BEEN -- THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER TYPE OF

GENERATION FOR ELECTRICITY.

MR. GOODELL: NOW, THE ESSENTIAL PLAN HAS AN

INCREASE OF $345 MILLION, BUT IT ALSO HAS LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THE

ESSENTIAL PLAN WILL BE AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.

MS. WEINSTEIN: CORRECT.

MR. GOODELL: BUT THE AMOUNT THAT'S PAID INTO THE

ESSENTIAL PLAN IS BASED ON INCOME. HOW ARE WE TO VERIFY THE INCOME

OF THOSE WHO ARE WORKING HERE ILLEGALLY?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WE -- RIGHT -- RIGHT NOW, AS -- AS I

HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, ANYBODY CAN GET EMERGENCY MEDICAID CARE.

WE THINK THAT BY HAVING INSURANCE IT WILL ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO

HAVE THE -- BE ABLE TO GO TO A LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED CARE WHICH

WOULD BE MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE EMERGENCY --

MR. GOODELL: I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THE

ESSENTIAL CARE PLAN, WHICH IS THROUGH THE HEALTH EXCHANGE, HAS

DIFFERENT PREMIUMS BASED ON YOUR INCOME, RIGHT? AND IT'S 100 PERCENT

FUNDED IF YOU'RE BELOW A CERTAIN LEVEL AND THEN THERE'S A SCALE WHERE IT

INCREASES. SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT THE CHARGE IS

IF WE'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FILING INCOME TAX RETURNS?

HOW DO WE VERIFY THE INCOME? IS THERE ANY LANGUAGE IN THIS THAT

ADDRESS THAT ISSUE?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO IT'S -- IT'S 250 PERCENT OF THE

POVERTY LEVEL AND PEOPLE WOULD -- WOULD CERTIFY THAT THAT'S THEIR -- THEIR

102

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

INCOME.

MR. GOODELL: SO IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE HONOR

SYSTEM, THEN, AS -- AS IT RELATES TO HOW MUCH YOU PAY? AN HONOR

SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ILLEGALLY NOT PAYING INCOME TAXES BECAUSE

THEY DON'T HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. IT'S JUST IRONIC THAT WE RELY

ON AN HONOR SYSTEM FOR THOSE THAT WE KNOW ARE VIOLATING THE LAW.

BUT MOVING ON A LITTLE BIT. CHILDCARE INCLUDES THE

$770 MILLION. DO WE HAVE ANY CRITERIA -- WILL THIS $770 MILLION, IS IT A

CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF INCOME? IS THERE INCOME THRESHOLDS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THE -- THE CHILDCARE, WE -- WE GO

TO 400 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.

MR. GOODELL: AND WHAT PERCENT OF THE CHILDCARE

COST WOULD BE REIMBURSED?

MS. WEINSTEIN: RIGHT. WE -- WE GO FROM -- WE

GO FROM THE CURRENT 69 PERCENT TO 90 PERCENT.

MR. GOODELL: OKAY. SO --

MS. WEINSTEIN: TO BE REIMBURSED.

MR. GOODELL: IF YOUR INCOME IS 399 PERCENT OF

POVERTY, YOU GET 90 PERCENT OF YOUR CHILDCARE REIMBURSED AND IF IT GOES

UP TO 401 PERCENT OF POVERTY YOU GET NO HELP? IS THAT RIGHT? SO WE GO

FROM 90 PERCENT REIMBURSEMENT TO ZERO PERCENT REIMBURSEMENT BASED

ON EARNING A COUPLE OF MORE DOLLARS?

MS. WEINSTEIN: THAT IS WHAT CURRENTLY HAPPENS

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE RAISING THE THRESHOLD THAT RIGHT NOW IS AT 200

PERCENT OF FEDERAL POVERTY. IF YOU'RE AT 201 PERCENT YOU ARE OFF OF THE

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NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

-- THE SUBSIDY SO WE'RE DOUBLING THAT AMOUNT.

MR. GOODELL: AH. GREAT NEWS. WE MOVED THE

FISCAL CLIFF. WE STILL HAVE A FISCAL CLIFF, WE MAKE THE FISCAL CLIFF EVEN

LARGER BUT WE MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT. BY THE WAY, HERE'S JUST A SUGGESTION.

A SUGGESTION IS THAT THE PERCENT THAT YOU REIMBURSE HAVE A SLIDING FEE

DOWNWARDS AS THE CURRENT PROGRAM DOES SO THAT THERE ISN'T A FISCAL CLIFF

AND SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO MAKE MORE THAN 400 PERCENT. THAT'S A

SUGGESTION, NOT A QUESTION, REALLY.

I SEE WHEN IT COMES TO INMATES WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE

AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF A DAY ON FREE PHONE CALLS AT A COST OF $93.3 MILLION.

WE'RE PROVIDING FREE TUITION LIKE EXPANDING THE TUITION ASSISTANCE

PROGRAM. WE'RE ELIMINATING THE PAROLE SUPERVISION FEE WHICH WAS LESS

THAN A DOLLAR A DAY, BUT WE'LL ELIMINATE THAT. ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS TO

INMATES THAT ARE CONTAINED IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL? DID I MISS ANY?

MS. WEINSTEIN: WELL, WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW,

OTHER PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON. WE'RE TRYING TO

HAVE PEOPLE BE REHABILITATED AND BECOMING TAX -- AND BECOME

TAXPAYING CITIZENS OF OUR -- OF OUR STATE.

MR. GOODELL: AND IS THERE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR

THAT IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL?

MS. WEINSTEIN: SO, WE DO HAVE $24 MILLION FOR

ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION THAT WOULD INCLUDE JOB PLACEMENT,

SUPERVISION, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, DRUG TREATMENT SERVICES, WHICH

IS $5 MILLION OVER THE EXECUTIVE. AND -- AND WE DO -- WE DO HAVE --

YOU MENTIONED ABOUT PROBATION AND PAROLE. WE DO INCLUDE $50

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MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING FOR COUNTIES FOR PROBATION, PAROLE AND

REENTRY INITIATIVES.

MR. GOODELL: OKAY. I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE

THAT WE'RE MOVING THE MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUT, ACCELERATING IT, BRINGING IT

INTO THIS YEAR. AM I CORRECT THAT THAT WOULD SAVE OUR TAXPAYERS $162

MILLION IN THIS BUDGET YEAR?

MS. WEINSTEIN: IN THIS YEAR, YES.

MR. GOODELL: OKAY. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'VE ANSWERED A WIDE RANGE OF QUESTIONS. I'M ALWAYS AMAZED AT

YOUR ABILITY TO HANDLE THESE QUESTIONS, AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE GREAT

STAFF --

MS. WEINSTEIN: I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THINK YOU

NOTICE I -- I HAVE SOME PEOPLE OVER MY SHOULDER HERE.

MR. GOODELL: AND I HAVE PEOPLE BEHIND ME AS

WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MS. WEINSTEIN: SURE.

MR. GOODELL: ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR.

MR. GOODELL: AS I MENTIONED, I WAS REALLY

PLEASED TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUT THAT'S BEING

ACCELERATED, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE NOTED, THAT WILL RESULT IN A SAVINGS TO

OUR MIDDLE CLASS OF $162 MILLION. WELL, TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE

THAT'S 7/1,000THS OF 1 PERCENT OF OUR STATE BUDGET. WOW! I'M GOING TO

WRITE HOME ABOUT THAT ONE. SO WE'RE INCREASING THE BUDGET BY $13.4

BILLION, AND WE'RE GIVING A MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUT OF $162 MILLION.

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THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD BE REVERSED. WE SHOULD BE INCREASING THE

BUDGET BY $162 MILLION AND GIVING A TAX CUT OF $13.4 BILLION. THAT

WOULD REALLY HELP THE NEW YORK STATE ECONOMY AND OUR MIDDLE CLASS

FOR SURE. A BUDGET, OF COURSE, IS A STATEMENT OF PRIORITIES. IT'S A

STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US. AND SO FOR OUR ENTIRE

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY WE PROVIDE A TAX CREDIT, AS NOTED BY MY

COLLEAGUE, OF $16 MILLION. WE PROVIDE A TAX CREDIT OF $20 MILLION FOR

VIDEO GAMES. SO APPARENTLY PRODUCING VIDEO GAMES IS ABOUT, YOU

KNOW, 20 PERCENT, 30 PERCENT MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR ENTIRE

AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. WE HAVE A $3.8 BILLION SUBSIDY FOR MTA, WHICH,

BY THE WAY, HAS NOT RAISED ITS SINGLE FARE RATE SINCE 2015 WHEN THEY

RAISED IT BY 25 CENTS. THAT'S COOL. MEANWHILE, ALL MY RESIDENTS ARE

PAYING $1.30, $1.40, $1.50 A GALLON MORE. WHY IS IT THAT WE'RE ASKING

ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO SUBSIDIZE THE MTA BY $3.8 BILLION WITHOUT

ASKING THE RIDERS OF THE MTA TO PAY JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR THEIR OWN

TRANSPORTATION WHEN THOSE UPSTATE ARE JUST BEING HAMMERED?

NOW, I'M GLAD THAT WE DIDN'T CUT CHIPS FUNDING THIS

YEAR. BUT GUESS WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE COST OF ASPHALTIC OIL? THAT'S

RIGHT, IT'S GOING UP THE SAME PERCENTAGE AS YOUR GASOLINE AND DIESEL

EXPENSES. LET'S ASK OUR NEW YORK CITY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES TO PAY

A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THEIR MTA RIDE AND LET'S HELP OFFSET ALL THE

UPSTATERS WHO ARE FACING THESE HUGE COST INCREASES.

ELECTRIC BUSES. LOVE THE CONCEPT, RIGHT? DOUBLE,

TRIPLE THE COST, AND IN MY COUNTY THAT MEANS WE CONVERT BUSES FROM

HIGH-EFFICIENCY DIESEL TO COAL. TO COAL POWER. THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE

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THE ELECTRICITY IN MY COUNTY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT COMES FROM A COAL

PLANT, ALONG WITH MUCH OF WESTERN NEW YORK. IT MAKES NO FINANCIAL

SENSE AND IT MAKES NO ENVIRONMENTAL SENSE.

I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE FUNDING FROM

CHILDCARE. I URGE MY COLLEAGUES, PHASE THE FUNDING DOWN. WE DON'T

NEED A FISCAL CLIFF WHICH TRAPS PEOPLE IN POVERTY. WE ALREADY DO THAT,

RIGHT? WE ALREADY KNOW THE RESULTS. AFTER 40 YEARS OF FISCAL CLIFFS, WE

HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN POVERTY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE MORE

MONEY. WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND TAX DOLLARS TO TRAP PEOPLE IN POVERTY.

AGAIN, I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS, I

APPRECIATE HER KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE CLERK WILL RECORD

THE VOTE ON ASSEMBLY BUDGET RESOLUTION NO. 644. THIS IS A PARTY

VOTE. ANY MEMBER WHO WISHES TO BE RECORDED AS AN EXCEPTION TO THEIR

CONFERENCE POSITION IS REMINDED TO CONTACT THE MAJORITY OR MINORITY

LEADER AT THE NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED.

MR. GOODELL.

MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, SIR. THE REPUBLICAN

CONFERENCE IS GENERALLY OPPOSED TO THIS BUDGET RESOLUTION. BUT THOSE

WHO SUPPORT IT ARE CERTAINLY FREE TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT HERE ON THE FLOOR

OR BY CALLING THE MINORITY LEADER'S OFFICE AND LETTING US KNOW.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU VERY

MUCH.

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NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.

SPEAKER. THE MAJORITY CONFERENCE IS GENERALLY GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF

THIS RESOLUTION. HOWEVER, SHOULD COLLEAGUES DECIDE TO DO OTHERWISE

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE MAJORITY LEADER'S OFFICE AND WE WILL

PROPERLY RECORD YOUR VOTE.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, MRS.

PEOPLES-STOKES.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

MRS. GUNTHER ON THE RESOLUTION.

MS. GUNTHER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. A FRIEND

OF MINE SAID THAT THIS IS SOMETIMES LIKE A DOG'S BREAKFAST, THERE'S A LOT

OF TASTY BITS BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY NASTY -- NASTY-TASTING BITS. AND

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS BUDGET LOOKS LIKE TO ME. YOU KNOW, I'M VERY

HAPPY THAT IN THIS BUDGET THERE'S A LINE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT

THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN SULLIVAN COUNTY.

WE ARE 61 OUT OF 62 AS FAR AS HEALTH RATES. AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO

FIGHT AND YELL AND SCREAM, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, OUR POPULATION

GOES FROM 76,000 IN THE WINTERTIME TO OVER 300,000 IN THE

SUMMERTIME. AND I'M GLAD THAT THEY FINALLY GOT THIS IN THE BUDGET

BECAUSE I FOUGHT REALLY HARD.

THEN WE GO TO CHIPS. YOU KNOW, AS A TAXPAYER IN

UPSTATE NEW YORK AND AS I DRIVE THROUGH THE ROADS, SECONDARY ROADS,

THERE ARE POTHOLES ALL OVER THE PLACE. THERE ARE TONS OF POTHOLES. AND

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON THE UPSTATE AND THE

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NEEDS OF UPSTATE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF. WE PAY VERY HIGH TAXES. OUR

ROADS STINK. WE HAVE NOT SOME -- THEY DO, THEY ACTUALLY STINK. THERE

ARE POTHOLES -- GO UP 17, KEEP GOING AND IT'S -- IT'S LIKE I FEEL LIKE I'M

ON A ROLLER COASTER. SO, I -- I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPORTING THIS --

THIS BUDGET BILL OR NOT SUPPORTING IT. I WILL -- I THINK I'LL VOTE YES

BECAUSE MY DOH IS THERE. BUT IN THE FUTURE I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A

BETTER JOB. COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING. I'D LIKE TO BE PART OF THE

SOLUTION AND NOT TO FIND OUT SOMETIMES AT THE END WHAT THEIR SOLUTIONS

ARE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I COME HERE EVERY DAY, I THINK I'VE MISSED

18 DAYS SINCE I TOOK OFFICE. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE INVOLVED AND

BE PART OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK STATE. AND, YOU

KNOW, I'M GOING TO VOTE YES BECAUSE THE ONE PART OF THIS BUDGET I'VE

BEEN BEGGING FOR FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS. I'VE TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, OUR

GOVERNOR, I'VE TALKED TO EVERYBODY ABOUT IT AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO

ME. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK --

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. --

MRS. GUNTHER: -- THAT MY INVOLVEMENT I -- I

THINK THAT AS --

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. GUNTHER.

MRS. GUNTHER: TOO MUCH?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: TOO MUCH.

(LAUGHTER)

MRS. GUNTHER: I ONLY SPEAK ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU

KNOW.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: WONDERFUL. BUT TOO

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MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MRS. GUNTHER IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AM I

RIGHT?

MRS. GUNTHER: I'LL BE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. GUNTHER IS IN

THE AFFIRMATIVE.

(LAUGHTER)

MS. GLICK.

MS. GLICK: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I RISE IN

SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE ARE ON

HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING. AFTER A DECADE OF DISINVESTMENT, THE

PEOPLE OF NEW YORK, WHETHER THEY ARE STUDENTS JUST COMING OUT OF

HIGH SCHOOL OR RETURNING STUDENTS, ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

GO TO OUR GREAT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES THAT WILL HAVE THE RESOURCES TO

PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME FACULTY, SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR HIGH -- FOR THE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITY

PROGRAMS, THE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE GIVING TO THE CAPITOL FOR REBUILDING

OLDER FACILITIES IS REMARKABLE. AND I AM VERY, VERY PROUD TO STAND ON

THE FLOOR TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. GLICK IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

MR. ABINANTI TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.

MR. ABINANTI: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I

SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL BY THE ASSEMBLY. OUR PROPOSAL NOT ONLY

MAINTAINS BUT ACTUALLY ENHANCES THE TAX CUTS FOR MIDDLE-CLASS NEW

YORKERS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT ACCELERATES THE

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TAX CUTS THAT WERE PLANNED FOR FUTURE YEARS. AT A TIME WHEN INFLATION IS

ON THE RISE, SO ARE THE TAX CUTS FOR MIDDLE-CLASS NEW YORKERS. AND THIS

PROPOSAL ENHANCES OUR INVESTMENTS IN MEETING THE NEEDS THAT NEW

YORKERS HAVE TODAY AND WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE. WE PROPOSE INVESTING

MORE THAN EVER BEFORE IN EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION, SPECIAL

EDUCATION, CHILDCARE, PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, CLEANING UP AND

PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT, COMBATTING GUN VIOLENCE, PAVING OUR

POTHOLES, PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS AND RESTORING THE WORKFORCE OF THE

STATE OF NEW YORK THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND

SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

THEREFORE, MR. SPEAKER, I WILL VOTE YES.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. ABINANTI IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES TO EXPLAIN HER VOTE.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.

SPEAKER, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE. I WANT TO FIRST BEGIN

BY COMMENDING MY -- MY COLLEAGUE, THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS,

FOR NOT JUST THE WAY SHE, IN A REALLY GOOD MANNER, EXPLAINED WHAT THIS

RESOLUTION LOOKS LIKE, BUT BECAUSE SHE SAT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF

HELPING COME UP WITH HOW THAT SHOULD LOOK. AND LISTENED TO ALL THE

PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE FROM ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS WHO HAVE THINGS

THAT THEY WANTED TO EITHER HAVE ADDED OR HAVE CHANGED OR HAVE

MODIFIED. AND I THINK THE PROPOSAL THAT SHE HAS COME UP WITH IS -- IS A

GOOD ONE, ALBEIT THE FACT THAT IT DOES REPRESENT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, MORE

THAN THE GOVERNOR PUT IN AND MORE THAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR. BUT I KNOW

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FOR SURE THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT NEEDED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL

DOLLARS. AND, YOU KNOW, PRE-K BEING ONE OF THOSE. WE ARE AT THE

MOMENT -- WE'RE SPENDING MORE ON PRE-K EDUCATION IN THE STATE THAN

WE EVER HAVE BEFORE, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE THAT IS THE

FOUNDATION OF CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I

WOULD ALSO SAY IF I ACTUALLY CONCEDED OR EVEN ASKED FOR EVERYTHING THAT

PEOPLE FROM MY DISTRICT ASKED FOR, THE BUDGET WOULD BE EVEN A LITTLE

HIGHER. SO THESE ARE NOT DOLLARS THAT ARE FRIVOLOUS. THESE ARE THINGS

THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY ASKED FOR, AND PARTICULARLY OUR HEALTHCARE

AND OUR EDUCATION AND OUR -- OUR ROADS, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS

OUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO I DO WANT TO COMMEND HER AND I'M VERY, VERY

PLEASED TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES

IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

MS. KELLES TO EXPLAIN HER VOTE.

MS. KELLES: THANK YOU, SPEAKER. I -- THANKS FOR

YOUR PATIENCE AS WELL. I JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF MY OWN

THOUGHTS TO THIS BUDGET PROCESS. THIS BUDGET PROCESS, AS WE ALL KNOW,

IS A FIRST STEP IN A LONG NEGOTIATION. AND I WANTED TO THANK MAINLY ALL

OF THE CHAIRS FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'VE DONE, BUT FOR THE STAFF AS WELL FOR

THE MANY, MANY VERY LATE NIGHTS THAT THEY HAVE PUT INTO THIS BUDGET.

AND THE THING THAT I WANT TO NOTE ABOUT IT THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME IS

THAT IT IS A BUDGET TO SPEND MONEY. ABSOLUTELY. BUT IT'S ABOUT

SPENDING MONEY SMARTLY. AND I THINK THAT THIS BUDGET DOES THAT MORE

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NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

THAN ANY DOCUMENT I'VE SEEN SO FAR, FOR ME, IN THIS -- MY TIME IN THE

LEGISLATURE. THIS MONEY PUTS -- THIS BUDGET PUTS MONEY INTO PLACES

THAT WILL REDUCE FUTURE SPENDING. FOR EXAMPLE, FAIR PAY FOR HOME CARE.

WE KNOW THAT THIS INVESTMENT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO FEWER PEOPLE IN

NURSING HOMES. WE KNOW THAT IT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO PEOPLE WHO

DEPEND ON SOCIAL SERVICES LESS. THERE HAVE BEEN ESTIMATES THAT SHOW

THAT THE NET CHANGE IN THE BUDGET WILL BE A REDUCTION IN THE BUDGET.

WE KNOW THAT INVESTING IN CLIMATE CHANGE, ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION

WILL ULTIMATELY REDUCE FUTURE COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE

ABOUT $30 MILLION A YEAR. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT

THE BUDGET AS WHAT IT WILL DO OVER TIME TO THE NET CHANGE IN OUR BUDGET.

AND THESE ASPECTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. IT INVESTS IN WORKFORCE

DEVELOPMENT. IT INVESTS IN OUR STATE'S SCHOOL SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY

COLLEGES, SUNY AND CUNY THAT WE KNOW WILL IMPROVE THE EDUCATION

OF LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN NEW YORK STATE, ULTIMATELY

LEADING TO A POWERFUL WORKFORCE.

THESE ARE ASPECTS OF THIS BUDGET THAT I THINK

ULTIMATELY ARE VERY PRUDENT AND I SUPPORT THIS BUDGET AND I WILL BE

VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. KELLES IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

MS. GONZ�LEZ-ROJAS.

MS. GONZ�LEZ-ROJAS: THANK YOU, SIR. I RISE

TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. I WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKER AND

THE REALLY, REALLY HARD WORK OF THE STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING

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NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

TIRELESSLY ON THIS BUDGET. YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT

A BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT. AND WE'VE SHOWN THAT THIS BUDGET IS

DISPLAYING OUR MORAL VALUES RIGHT HERE. COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC

IT'S SO CRITICAL THAT WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, IN

HEALTHCARE, IN FOOD INSECURITY AND IN OUR MENTAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. I

AM SO PROUD TO BE A CHAMPION OF COVERAGE FOR ALL, AND THAT THAT HAS

BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. IT IS SO CRITICAL THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS

TO THE HEALTHCARE THAT THEY NEED, DESPITE THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.

THERE IS HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN SOCIAL WORKERS FOR SCHOOLS. THERE'S

INVESTMENTS IN OUR SMALLEST BUSINESSES, OUR RESTAURANT INDUSTRY THAT HAS

STEPPED UP DURING THIS PANDEMIC. AND WE HAVE MADE HISTORIC

INVESTMENTS IN SNAP OUTREACH TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE IN OUR STATE GOES

HUNGRY.

SO I'M SO THRILLED TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF THIS

RESOLUTION. I HOPE ALL OUR COLLEAGUES VOTE IN SUPPORT OF IT, AND I THANK

THE TEAM FOR GETTING -- MAKING SURE THIS HAPPENS. SO, THANK YOU SO

MUCH.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ARE THERE ANY OTHER

VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)

THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

OH, HOLD IT.

MR. GOODELL, I'M -- I'M SORRY, MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MR. GOODELL HAS A INTRODUCTION.

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NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, SIR. IT IS MY GREAT

PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE VITO FOSSELLA. HE IS THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT OF

STATEN ISLAND, AND YOU MAY RECALL HE SERVED SIX TERMS AS CONGRESSMAN.

A PROUD STATEN ISLANDER, AND HE'S HERE ON BEHALF OF ASSEMBLYMAN

TANNOUSIS. IF YOU WOULD EXTEND YOUR GREETINGS AND THE CORDIALITIES OF

OUR CHAMBER, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: CERTAINLY. ON BEHALF

OF MR. GOODELL, THE SPEAKER, THE ENTIRE STATEN ISLAND DELEGATION WHO

YOU HAVE GATHERED, WE WELCOME YOU HERE TO THE NEW YORK STATE

ASSEMBLY, EXTEND TO YOU THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. AND ASK YOUR

HELP BECAUSE THEY'RE A RAMBUNCTIOUS BUNCH. AND I CAN'T GET THEM OUT

OF THE CORNER OVER HERE. THEY TALK, TALK, TALK. IT'S A TERRIBLE THING. SO

BUT WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU. HOPE YOUR TRIP TO

ALBANY HAS BEEN BENEFICIAL. THANK YOU.

(APPLAUSE)

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MR. SPEAKER, DO YOU

HAVE ANY FURTHER HOUSEKEEPING OR RESOLUTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: WE HAVE NEITHER,

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: WELL, OKAY.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: HOW ABOUT THAT?

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THEN I MOVE --

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: (INAUDIBLE)

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NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2022

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: -- THAT THE ASSEMBLY

STANDS ADJOURNED UNTIL 11:00 A.M. TUESDAY, MARCH THE 15TH, TOMORROW

BEING A SESSION DAY.

ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE ASSEMBLY STANDS

ADJOURNED.

(WHEREUPON, AT 5:12 P.M., THE ASSEMBLY STOOD

ADJOURNED UNTIL TUESDAY, MARCH 15TH AT 11:00 A.M., THAT BEING A

SESSION DAY.)

116