I am deeply saddened and find it increasingly alarming that Gov. Kathy Hochul continues to delay setting forth the New York State budget, which will help municipalities, schools, highway departments and ordinary people plan for their immediate futures.
Did you know that the state budget is due on the 1st of April each year, and that Gov. Hochul has yet to deliver an on-time budget since elected. These delays have real-world repercussions on hard-working families.
Did you know that this year’s budget, if passed, boasts a $1.5 billion bailout for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. This money will undoubtedly be paid for on the backs of hard-working people in Westchester and Putnam that have nothing to do with New York City. The money is intended to close a huge budget gap that New York City has created due to poor management and fiscal irresponsibility.
Did you know that over the past 10 years the state budget has ballooned from $153 billion in 2016 to a projected $260 billion budget this year. That’s an increase of $100 billion in 10 Years and New Yorkers cannot afford this.
It is important that we should have an on-time budget in this state, as it has a direct impact on those governments closest to you as residents, not just of the state, but of a specific community, where you live, work and play.
As a deputy town supervisor and councilman, I understand how important it is for local governments to know what the state budget is (or isn’t) going to provide. Right now, there are numerous cities, towns and villages throughout the state crafting their own budgets, and they would like to know what support they will be receiving from the state.
Equally important is the aid that the state will be providing for local roads and bridges. With the warmer weather looking as though it is here to stay, highway superintendents would like to know whether they are going to be able to repave roads or, unfortunately, patch and pray some roads to buy them another year before making them a priority.
Lastly, school budgets are around the corner, and they are entitled to know what assistance they are going to receive from the state. How can they put together their own budget without having specific foundation aid numbers, the amount of money the state provides to school districts, to help them? How can we, as residents, make informed decisions on whether the school budget is good or bad without having those accurate numbers? How can you understand the full impact of a school budget on you, your family, and your child’s education without that information?
The affordability crisis is very real and is created by poor leadership and bad decisions that reflect a breakdown in the process; those responsible in Albany must be held accountable for these clear failures.
Sergio Esposito is deputy supervisor for the Town of Yorktown.
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