A chaotic sprint to pass New York’s $254 billion budget has sparked outrage across party lines, with lawmakers accusing Governor Hochul of bulldozing democracy in the dark.
At a Glance
- Hochul’s $254B budget drafted behind closed doors with legislative leaders
- Lawmakers received full text just hours before scheduled votes
- “Messages of necessity” used to bypass mandated bill review period
- Key policies like tax cuts and trial reforms buried with minimal debate
- Calls mount for legislation to reform emergency budget procedures
Closed-Door Budget Process Sparks Bipartisan Anger
In Albany, a last-minute push to pass Governor Kathy Hochul’s $254 billion budget proposal has triggered fierce criticism over what lawmakers call a dangerously opaque process. The proposal—negotiated privately between Hochul and legislative leadership—surfaced only hours before votes were scheduled, leaving legislators scrambling to review thousands of pages. Newsday reports that top lawmakers had little to no access to finalized language prior to casting their votes.
Watch CBS New York’s breakdown of the state budget deal.
“This seems to get worse each and every year,” lamented Assemblyman Ed Ra, echoing frustrations voiced by both parties. In a scathing assessment, State Senator James Tedisco declared, “I’ve seen the least transparency in this budget in my going-on-44 years in the legislature,” warning that “democracy dies in darkness—it’s getting dimmer and dimmer,” according to the New York Post.
Emergency Protocols Abused?
At the heart of the backlash is the governor’s use of “messages of necessity,” a legislative maneuver that waives the required three-day aging period before votes. Critics argue that this tactic is intended for true emergencies—not routine governance. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt decried the move, stating, “Let these bills age. Let us dig in. Let us know what we’re voting for for the people of New York.” He added, “The Senators have not seen a budget bill… and we’re gonna begin voting this week.”
Senator Mark Walczyk is pushing a bill to limit the use of emergency protocols in the budget process. “The Governor has taken and abused what should be used only for emergencies and done that to jam budget bills through,” he told Newsday.
Major Policy Changes Buried in Fine Print
Amid the procedural uproar, the budget contains sweeping policy shifts: proposed middle-class tax rate reductions, one-time rebate checks, and significant revisions to criminal trial discovery rules. Critics warn these measures are being passed with little scrutiny, echoing the chaotic Medicaid changes last year that led to bid-rigging allegations and payment delays for home health aides.
Susan Lerner of Common Cause New York said the process “is rushed and secretive and not as carefully considered as it should be,” calling for policy issues to be debated openly during the normal session, not “hashed out behind closed doors with strong-arm tactics.”
A Crisis of Trust
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have expressed discomfort with the governor’s dominance in the budget process, acknowledging that it sidelines legislative checks and balances. With the vote imminent, lawmakers are now torn between delaying state operations or passing a bill few have read in full.
As Albany races toward a final vote, New Yorkers are left wondering: Can the state budget be democratic if no one reads it before it passes?
