New York lawmakers approved an eighth temporary budget extender on Thursday to keep the state running. The stopgap measure, lasting until April 29, has triggered over $11 billion in emergency spending since missing the original April 1 budget deadline, leaving school districts uncertain about their future funding with elections looming on May 20.
Assemblymember Josh Jensen stressed the importance of the extender to maintain operations, while David Albert of the New York State School Boards Association warned of the hardships for schools. Governor Kathy Hochul’s controversial proposal to increase penalties for crimes committed while masked is among issues slowing negotiations.
Legislators hope to finalize a deal soon, with votes on budget bills expected next week, as pressure mounts to end the costly delays.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].