Legislative hearings on Governor Cuomo's 2017-2018 proposed state budget begin this week: Higher Education examined on Tuesday, Workforce Development on Wednesday (beginning at 10AM) ~ Read more and watch the hearings live

Albany, N.Y., January 23—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today said that the Legislature’s fiscal committees will begin a series of public hearings on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 2017-2018 proposed New York State budget on Tuesday.

Last week Cuomo delivered an approximately $162-billion spending plan to the Legislature.

O’Mara said that this week’s legislative hearings cover Higher Education and Workforce Development.

“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 also serves as a member of the Senate Task Force on Workforce Development.

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:

> Higher Education: Tuesday, January 24, beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Watch a replay of the January 24th hearing HERE; and

> Workforce Development: Wednesday, January 25, beginning at 10:00 a.m.  WATCH HERE.

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.