New York’s state budget, delayed longer than any year since 2010, is nearing completion. Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing sharp criticism from watchdog groups for her opaque tactics and aggressive promotion of her top policy wins even as legislative negotiations drag on.
Reinvent Albany’s John Kaehny called the process “feckless,” pointing to a flood of hidden policy changes and the governor’s manipulation of public messaging. Meanwhile, lawmakers like Mike Gianaris argue they are forced to push their own proposals as the late budget cuts into normal legislative time.
Despite Hochul’s claims that voters back her strategy, experts warn prolonged delays and secrecy could fuel lasting public frustration. Proposed reforms like lawmaker pay cuts for late budgets face steep challenges in Albany’s entrenched system.
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