Governor Kathy Hochul and state legislative leaders pushed through a $220 billion budget more than one week late and included policy issues in the fiscal plan. The budget is $4 billion more than what the governor proposed earlier this year and $6 billion less than what state lawmakers were requesting in their budget proposals.
“This budget will put more money back in people’s pockets,” Hochul said. “We are providing tax relief for middle-class families as well as a new property tax credit for middle income households with an investment of $2.2 billion that will help approximately 2.5 million homeowners. This will give tax relief to 6.1 million homeowners.”
One group extolling the virtues of the state budget is Agudath Israel of America. The budget includes $45 million for Nonpublic School Safety and Equipment Grant (NPSE). This triples the amount allocated last year, and was a major Agudah priority. The NPSE program boosts school safety and security, and can be used for certain capital repairs for building safety. This is in addition to $25 million allocated under the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grant.
“I am especially proud of how our team and the community came together and had siyata diShmaya in advocating for the tripling of the Nonpublic School Safety and Equipment Grant to $45 million, and in fighting for hardworking, tuition-paying parents,” said Avrohom Weinstock, Agudah’s chief of staff.
Agudah’s advocacy included personal meetings with the governor, led by Board Chairman Shlomo Werdiger, personal meetings with the state budget director and multiple Albany Days, in which school officials and community leaders met with dozens of state legislators, according to Agudah.
Other parts of the budget include a temporary hold on the 16-cents state gas tax.
“We are going to suspend from June 1 to December 31 the state sales tax on fuel, which will result in an estimated $585 million in relief for working families and businesses across our state,” Hochul announced. “We’re already having conversations with counties, asking them if they will consider doing the same.”
Hochul also announced a salary bump for home health care aides.
“We know how critically important they [home health care aides] are to families and their sense of security,” Hochul said. “We’ll provide nearly $7.4 billion to support a wage increase, a $3 wage increase for home healthcare aids. … We’re also going to invest $2.4 billion to improve our health care infrastructure, as well as dedicate $3.9 million in funding over four years to help our hospitals.”
Hochul also talked about revisions to the cashless bail law, putting a positive spin on the rancor that erupted during budget talks.
“This will now include a defendant’s history of gun use and whether the crime involved was a serious one, would it cause harm to people,” Hochul said. “We’re not here to undo the progress that was made in the past. Never been my objective, never will be. There are areas where improvements can and need to be made. To the New Yorkers who are concerned about the rise in crime, we have put forth a comprehensive package that again achieves and continues the progress we’ve made in the past to make sure our criminal justice system is fair. We are not moving backwards. We are moving forward with a thoughtful approach.
“We’ll be protecting victims of domestic violence and hate crimes. We’ll close loopholes and the discovery law that led to the unnecessary dismissal of too many cases. We’re going to allow police to make arrests for hate crimes. As I mentioned, let’s talk about bail again. We are now for the first time going to allow judges to set bail for gun charges that were previously subject only to release. Also adding factors that a judge must consider. All in the interest of making a safer and more just New York,” Hochul concluded.
The budget also includes a major investment in aid for child care, including $7 billion over four years towards a goal of full, universal, free child care. “This will be a tremendous benefit to many working parents who are burdened with costs of child care while they are supporting their families,” according to Weinstock.
The budget also includes a substantial increase in the Empire State Child Tax Credit based on income levels. “This Agudah priority directly impacts families with children, by putting additional dollars in their pockets and helping them keep up with the costs of raising families,” Weinstock wrote in a prepared news release.
The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) is a state Medicaid program that allows eligible individuals to select their own caregivers. The program allows for the consumer to hire a family member or friend as their caregiver therefore eliminating language barriers and the potential stress of having strangers serve as a caregiver at the consumer’s home.
“COVID-19 has shown us that the need for quality home care services is more important than ever,” said Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, who characterized the legislation as a “monumental win for vulnerable New Yorkers and their caregivers.”
By Marc Gronich
