Hunger Strike continues against any changes to Bail Reform
On March 31, State Legislators went back to their districts without voting for a budget for the 2022 fiscal year. The budget, due April 1 remains unfinished because of bail reform, a gas tax repeal, full gaming casinos all still on the table for negotiations between the three most powerful elected officials in New York State; Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (from Yonkers), and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.
Governor Hochul issued the following statement after not concluding her first State budget negotiation on time. “This is a critical time in New York’s economic recovery, and I am committed to ensuring that our state budget reflects New Yorkers’ priorities and tackles the top issues we are facing. From improving public safety to supporting small businesses, these are important and complex issues, and we need to get them right.
“I am continuing to have productive conversations with Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie and I appreciate their collaboration and good faith approach to these negotiations. We are getting closer to agreement, with consensus on major policy items. New Yorkers should know that progress is being made and that we will put in the time it takes to reach an agreement that delivers for them and moves our state forward.”
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said that she was not concerned that legislators were sent home for the weekend, noting that her members can work remotely. “We’re close on a lot of the issues,”
A late addition to the negotiations was Governor Hochul’s plan to have New York taxpayers pay for a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills with a state cost of $850 million. During a press briefing, Stewart-Cousins said she was not aware of the concluded agreement and “Until we actually have all the parameters, I’m not in a position to really talk about it other than the fact that it’s being discussed, we’re going to get the language, but I think we all know that the Buffalo Bills are important, not only to Buffalo, but the state.”
Changes to bail and criminal justice reforms proposed by Gov. Hochul seem to be the biggest hurdle to a budget deal, with progressive democrats in the Assembly opposing any changes. Assemblymember Patrice Walker continues her hunger strike against any changes to bail and criminal justice reform, Tweeting, “Gov. Hochul still hasn’t provided any data to support the need for changes to criminal justice reforms, including bail reform. Math doesn’t lie, but people do. I will fight until the bitter end. Still strong in my hunger strike.”
2022 will be the third consecutive year that a New York State budget is late. Democrats control all three branches of NY Government.
Initial analysis is that the late budget hurts Governor Hochul more than state legislators. “The fact that both the @NYSenDems and @NYSA_Majority are sending members home 10 hours before the state budget is due, not only indicates that lawmakers have given up on doing their jobs, but also represents a big stumble for @GovKathyHochul and her inability to get it done,” Tweeted Albany reporter Zack Fink.
Congressman Tom Suozzi, who is challenging Hochul in a democratic primary, Tweeted, “.@GovKathyHochul has failed the test of leadership – she failed to deliver an on-time budget, she failed to fix bail reform, she failed to address high taxes, and she failed to cut the gas tax. Kathy Hochul is unready to lead, unable to deliver and the result is more crime, more taxes and more tax giveaways to her billionaire friends.”
