The lack of transparency in this budget process was nearly incomparable. Bills were brought to lawmakers just hours before we were required to vote. Compromises made behind closed doors with three men in a room surrounding the proposed $15-an-hour minimum wage hike were not known until the last minute. The three-day vetting process was done away with by the Governor's and Speaker's 'messages of necessity' and meaningful debate was not allowed.

This budget includes one of the worst mandates for businesses in recent history--raising the minimum wage by 67%. This is not a mandate that businesses can be expected to simply absorb. Although Upstate was saved from instituting the full-on $15-an hour increase and will instead be required to pay workers $12.50 an hour by 2020, this budget dictates, once again, more mandates. Our job creators will be forced to either ante up, downsize or automate.

Fortunately, the gap elimination adjustment for schools was closed entirely this year. My colleagues and I fought for this change to occur over a one-year period, rather than over a two-year period and the budget included more funding for schools in general.

Despite good government groups and citizens advocating for a more open budget process, and the conviction of our former Assembly and Senate leaders, this budget process made it clear that the culture of corruption continues to reign. Meaningful ethics reform was not even part of this budget process. I will continue to pressure my colleagues for change the taxpayers deserve and shed some much-needed light on Albany's opaque and shrouded world.