Legislative hearings on Governor's budget continue next week with several key forums

Albany, N.Y., January 22—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today said that the Legislature’s joint, bipartisan legislative hearings on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed 2016-17 state budget will continue next with forums examining key segments of the Cuomo fiscal plan.

O’Mara said that next week’s hearings will cover Health/Medicaid, Local Government, Elementary and Secondary Education, and Environmental Conservation.

“Next week’s hearings are going to cover some of the most critical areas of every state budget impacting local property taxpayers and governments, communities and school districts, health care providers and patients, and so many others,” said O’Mara, who also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “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 as to hear directly from grassroots advocates and local officials on the impact the governor’s plan would have on our local communities, local economies and local property taxpayers.”

The hearings are conducted by the Legislature’s fiscal committees --  the Finance Committee in the Senate, and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee – and will continue through early February.  Each hearing focuses on a specific programmatic area of the budget.  Legislators also receive testimony from local and statewide advocacy groups and government officials on the direct impact of the governor’s plan at the grassroots level.

O’Mara said that all of the hearings will be live streamed by the Senate on its website: www.nysenate.gov.  O’Mara said that he will also post a link to the live stream of each day’s hearing on his Senate website.  Access to comprehensive, detailed information on the governor’s budget proposal can also be found on O’Mara's website by clicking on the “Get The Facts” icon near the bottom of the home page.

The following budget hearings are scheduled for next week:

> Health/Medicaid: Monday, January 25, beginning at 9:30 a.m.;

> Local Government/General Government: Tuesday, January 26, beginning at 10:00 a.m.;

> Elementary & Secondary Education: Wednesday, January 27, beginning at 9:30 a.m.; and

> Environmental Conservation: Thursday, January 28, beginning at 9:30 a.m.