Albany, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York state lawmakers passed another weeklong extension for the state's budget Monday to ensure state operations run undisrupted and workers get paid as budget negotiations continue.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli highlighted the need for lawmakers to push the deadline yet again when he sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday urging her to take action to ensure 83,000 state workers get paid in time for the next payroll cycle.
State lawmakers will not be paid themselves until a budget is passed, DiNapoli's office said, and it is not clear how long it'll take Democratic legislative leaders to reach an agreement.
"We understand that some progress has been made on bail. But there is still a long way to go," said Albany insider, Jack O'Donnell of O'Donnell and Associates on WBEN Monday.
"It does sound like they're close to an agreement on bail, which would allow for some more judicial discretion especially for violent or repeat offenders," he added. O'Donnell is still waiting to see the final language on that.
On housing, he said leaders have not gotten anywhere. "The governor had a major proposal that would allow Albany and the state to overrule local zoning if enough housing wasn't built. And there is still no agreement on electric buildings and a ban on natural gas."
The state budget was due April 1.
Last year's state budget was 9 days late.
O'Donnell was asked if state budgets are more complicated than ever before because they are more than dollars and cents. Lawmakers are deciding on controversial policies in the packages.
"Absolutely," said O'Donnell. "New York has a long tradition of including policies in the budget. Part of that is because they impact spending, but also because the governor has the upper hand in negotiations. And this governor and previous governors like to get their business done when they're holding the cards. I also think that this is not an election year for anyone in Albany and it causes more people to put their backs up and fight."
The legislators missed the original April 1 deadline for adopting a state budget because of disagreements over the governor's proposals to change bail rules and create new housing.
There has been "zero movement in discussions" on any other issues besides bail and housing in a state budget that is now more than a week late, state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters on Monday.
"I don't believe that we should be doing policy on budgets, I've been very clear on that," Heastie said.
Hochul, a Democrat, said Saturday during an Easter celebration that although it will take additional time to solidify a final budget, she's "confident" that progress is being made.
With a second extension, the Legislature would have through April 17 to either pass a budget or extend the process again.
Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt called disagreements among the Democratic leaders "a sticking point."
"New Yorkers have suffered enough by Democrat policies making our state less affordable and less safe," he said.
