“Budget negotiations are underway in Albany… three weeks after the deadline. Five budget bills have been passed so far, and I found it impossible to vote YES to any of them.While these bills contain some good policies, the negatives outweigh the positives. These bills are packed with what we call “poison pills”, and there are just too many to swallow. These poison pills are responsible for slashing the budgets of volunteer fire companies across New York, which are a key part of our communities. Additionally, Albany Majority has flattened funding for the CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program) program that develops our roads, bridges and overall infrastructure. While there is still funding for CHIPS, the bill does not accommodate inflation, so CHIPS funding has essentially been cut.”

Budget negotiations are still underway, and are expected to go into the weekend. If all goes as planned, we should have a budget agreement finalized by Sunday.