After 57 days of delays, Albany finally passed a state budget totaling $268 billion, a budget that has grown by more than $90 billion since 2021. Unfortunately, despite the record spending, many of the same affordability challenges facing New Yorkers remain unresolved.

That said, governing responsibly also means recognizing when progress is made, even if a budget falls short overall. While I opposed many aspects of this year’s spending plan and remain concerned about its long-term fiscal sustainability, there were several things that I believe moved New York in a more practical direction.

One of the most significant changes was the decision to push back portions of the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). For years, many of us have warned that Albany’s aggressive climate mandates were being implemented too quickly, without realistic timelines, sufficient infrastructure or consideration for the financial burden being placed on taxpayers, schools, municipalities and businesses.

This budget delays the mandate requiring a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2030 to 2040, aligns emissions calculations more closely with federal standards and requires the state to consider affordability, feasibility and economic impacts when implementing future mandates. While I still believe portions of the CLCPA should ultimately be repealed, these changes are an acknowledgment that the state’s previous timelines and expectations were unrealistic from the beginning.

The budget also delays the state’s zero-emission school bus mandate, pushing the requirement for districts to purchase only electric buses from 2027 to 2032 and delaying full fleet implementation from 2035 to 2040. This was another necessary correction. School districts across New York have repeatedly warned that the costs associated with transitioning entire fleets to electric buses were simply unaffordable, especially while districts are already dealing with inflation, staffing shortages and rising operational costs.

Workforce retention was another issue addressed in this year’s budget. Reforms to Tier 6 retirement benefits are intended to help recruit and retain qualified public employees at a time when schools, municipalities and state agencies continue struggling to fill critical positions. Whether it is teachers, direct care workers or local government employees, New York cannot continue losing experienced workers and expect services to improve.

The budget also includes a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase for programs within the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Office for the Aging, Office of Mental Health, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. While I would have liked to see even greater investment in the direct care workers who serve some of our most vulnerable residents, these increases are still important for organizations that have faced years of financial pressure.

Additional positive measures included a tipped wage income exemption to provide relief for workers in the hospitality industry, funding support for nursing homes and hospitals, aid for local municipalities, and new flexibility allowing municipalities and school districts to provide full property tax exemptions for severely disabled veterans on their primary residences. Supporting the men and women who sacrificed for this country should never be controversial.

I also supported expanding the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program. Unfortunately, we have seen far too many accidents and fatalities in highway work zones in recent years. Highway workers deserve protection, and improving safety in construction zones is a responsibility we should all take seriously.

However, despite some positive points, the overall budget remains bloated and unsustainable. Albany lawmakers continue extending so-called “temporary” taxes that never seem to expire. This year’s budget extends elevated business tax rates for another three years, continuing a pattern of increasing costs on employers at a time when businesses are already struggling with New York’s high tax and regulatory burdens.

The budget also failed to adequately fund critical infrastructure programs such as CHIPS, PAVE NY, Winter Recovery and BridgeNY, programs local governments rely on to maintain roads, bridges and transportation systems across the state. If Albany is serious about supporting local communities, infrastructure investment must become a greater priority.

This year’s budget contains a few important steps in the right direction, particularly regarding unrealistic climate mandates. But until Albany addresses the state’s overspending problem and begins prioritizing fiscal responsibility alongside public policy goals, hardworking families and local communities will continue paying the price.