The 2018-19 Enacted State Budget tackled numerous critical issues like education, drug and opioid abuse and infrastructure, but once again the state Legislature failed to act on meaningful ethics reform to reduce corruption and clean up Albany. Last week, the lack of transparency was on full display as “four men in a room” met behind closed doors to decide the fate of our state. Though troubled by some areas of spending, I’m pleased by what this budget can accomplish for my district and the rest of the state.

It has been one of my main priorities to remove harmful drugs and opioids from our streets, and I’m proud of measures taken in the budget to accomplish this objective. This year the Legislature enacted the Opioid Stewardship Act to increase accountability by opioid manufacturers and distributors. Additionally, our budget increased the number of treatment services in New York to combat this harmful threat and help those affected by drug abuse. We also instilled tougher penalties on those who sell deadly fentanyl-laced marijuana.

Together, we allocated $26.03 billion in total school aid, which is a 3.4 percent increase from last year. We also secured a $2,847 per student increase in community college base aid, totaling a $100 per student increase. Furthermore, I supported spending $186.4 million on nonpublic schools, and $105.4 million on blind and deaf private schools. I’ve long advocated for improving our education system, and it was encouraging that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle agreed that our students deserve better.

Each day, I hear from concerned residents pleading for assistance to improve our crumbling infrastructure, and last week I helped secure this funding that we desperately need. In this budget, we maintained $438.1 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), $100 million for BRIDGE NY and $100 million for PAVE NY. These funds will help to ensure our local roads and bridges are repaired, rebuilt and kept safe for our families.

This year’s budget negotiations have concluded, but I will continue fighting for a more open and informative process that allows New Yorkers to see how their government is run. The areas I’ve outlined, along with many others, are important for our state, but ethics reform should still be the first priority for the state Legislature during the next few months. If we clean up Albany and eliminate corruption, we can restore trust in government and continue our work to improve life for state residents.