The state’s Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli, warns of a “problematic” budget season, as the state faces a structural deficit, changes to the federal tax code, and uncertainty over continued funding from Washington.
DiNapoli, speaking at a forum sponsored by the Albany Times Union, says this year’s $4.4 billion dollar budget gap is on top of expected cuts from President Trump and the Republican-led Congress.
“On health care alone, we still stand to lose billions of dollars,” DiNapoli. “We really could be behind the eight ball.”
Governor Cuomo introduces his budget plan next week and says he wants to include a plan to shift the state income tax to a payroll tax, in order to get around the loss of state and local tax deductions in the new federal tax law. DiNapoli says he’ll comment after he sees the governor’s specific plan, but says any proposal would be “complex” to implement.
