Why New York State's Budget is Delayed Again

Dan Clark: We are now two weeks past the deadline for the New York state budget, and as of Friday morning, we still don't have one, and we still don't know when that will change. A budget extender passed by the legislature last week expired on Monday, so lawmakers and Governor Kathy Hochul agreed to another extender for another week. That's just money the state needs to keep the government funded and pay the bills.

That means the new deadline for a budget deal between Hochul and the legislature is this coming Monday, April 17. That will make this year's state budget the latest since 2010, when it didn't pass until August. And Governor Kathy Hochul said Thursday that budget talks will continue through the weekend.

Kathy Hochul: The right budget is more important than an on-time budget, and we've been working around the clock. My team has not left town. We've had many, many meetings ourselves internally, just came from one. Our teams are doing a lot of Zoom calls with others who are not here, and we're going to work hard through the weekend.

DC: And aside from that, we still don't really know where things stand. At the start of the week, budget talks were at a standstill with a focus still on changes to bail reform two weeks later. 

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said this on Monday.

Carl Heastie: There's discussions going on with housing, but like I said, most of the oxygen is still on discussing bail.

DC: In the meantime, the capitol has been empty. Even lobbyists and advocates have gone home. 

There are two ways this could play out, if lawmakers and Governor Hochul strike a deal on changes to bail, the rest of the budget could come together relatively quickly. Sometimes it really is just one thing that's holding up the budget. But in a different scenario, there could be a longer road ahead.

CH: Do I think is this the bigger domino? I'd say, you know, housing is one B, bail is one A and housing is one B, then I think it's a easier path on the other things in the budget.

DC: But there was some talk this week about at least a general agreement on bail. Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris said they were more or less on the same page, but that some final details were still up in the air.

Reporter: It does seem like the sides are pretty well in agreement about the parameters of this right?

Mike Gianaris: Now it's just the details and that issue will unlock hopefully the rest of the issues, which also still have to be worked out.

DC: So progress, but no deal just yet.