ALBANY, N.Y. (WBEN) "We're certainly making history with the latest budget in over 13 years, at almost a month late," said State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R-Niagara County) on WBEN Monday.
The New York State budget is officially 24 days late. State lawmakers are
expected to pass their fifth spending extension since April 1.
Ortt also calls it one of the least transparent processes that he can remember.
"We know it's late. We know that some things have fallen out of it, such as the governor's housing plan. We also know that some things have held the budget up, like bail. But we don't know a lot more," added Ortt.
Still to be determined are taxes, infrastructure, whether to tax digital streaming products like Netflix, and whether to add a fee on all Uber and Lyft rides.
Ortt said the length of the extensions is determined by the governor.
"I don't know why she picks three days over a week. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but that's what we've been doing."
The reason for doing the extenders is to make sure state employees are paid, as well as the division of naval and military affairs, and this extender includes the remaining school aid to school districts from the 2022 budget.
Is the budget too policy-laden, as suggested last week by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins? "In my time here, every budget has been laden with policy," noted Ortt. "And that's usually where the holdup is. There are policy proposals that do have a fiscal cost and they should be in the budget. The governor's energy proposal is a great example. If they're going to go through with a natural gas ban, we need to know how we're paying for that."
Ortt added, "With one party control in Albany you should do these policy proposals outside of the budget, but here we are with total democrat control, we have the latest budget in 13 years and we seemingly have more disagreement, which shows how far left the democratic party has gone in New York State."