Legislative budget hearings this week: mental health (Monday, 1PM), taxes (Tuesday, 9:30AM), human services ( Wednesday, 9:30AM) ~ Hearings can be viewed live here

Albany, N.Y., February 6—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today said that the Legislature’s fiscal committees will continue a series of public hearings on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 2017-2018 proposed New York State budget this week.

Cuomo has proposed an approximately $152-billion spending plan for the state’s 2017-2018 fiscal year beginning on April 1.  O’Mara said this week’s legislative hearings cover the governor’s proposals for mental health, taxes, human services and housing.

“These budget hearings are a key part of the annual budget adoption process.  They help us dissect critical details and bring them into the light of day.  They give us an opportunity to directly question top Cuomo administration officials, as well hear directly from grassroots advocates and local officials on the impact the governor’s plan would have on our local communities, schools, economies and property taxpayers,” said O’Mara, who serves as Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.

The Senate Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee conduct the joint hearings through the end of February.  Each hearing focuses on a specific programmatic area of the budget.  Legislators hear testimony from local and statewide advocacy groups and government officials on the direct impact of the governor’s plan at the grassroots level.

The following hearings will convene this week:

> Mental Health on Monday, February 6, beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Watch HERE;

> Taxes on Tuesday, February 7, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Watch HERE; 

> Human Services on Wednesday, February 8, beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Watch HERE; and

> Housing on Thursday, February 9, beginning at 9:30 a.m.  (Postponed).

Access to comprehensive, detailed information on the governor’s budget proposal can be found on O’Mara’s website by clicking on the “2017-18 New York State Executive Budget” banner near the top of the home page.

Details on the governor’s budget proposal are also on the state Division of the Budget (DOB) website, www.budget.ny.gov.

Additionally, O’Mara reminded area residents that his 2017 “Community and Legislative Survey” remains available on his website and includes opportunities to offer opinions on specific state budget-related issues.

The state’s new fiscal year begins on April 1, 2017 and state leaders are aiming, for the seventh consecutive year, to have a new state budget in place before that April 1st deadline.