Griffo statement on governor’s conceptual budget agreement

“Almost a month late, the governor announced that she and the legislative majorities have reached an agreement on a tentative budget.  

During her announcement regarding this development, the governor said that she wants to make New York safer, more affordable and more livable. I am supportive of this goal and hope that this budget accomplishes this objective. However, I am concerned with the method and manner in which the governor has established the amount, type and where she would like to spend to achieve the priorities that she has identified.  

New York has been under one-party control since 2019. Since then, we have seen an unfortunate pattern of tax increases, burdensome regulations and unsustainable spending. The state has spent an additional $85 billion during that time.

I continue to be concerned with how we got to this point. This year’s budget process, like so many others before it, lacked transparency and featured secret negotiations. It will likely result in policy-laden bills debated and passed in the middle of the night while many New Yorkers are sleeping. Legislators should not see these bills right before they are required to vote on them. The public should have time to read, digest and give input on what has been decided for and will affect them. 

The governor said that it is better to get things right than to meet a deadline. It should be our objective to fulfill our responsibility to get it right and meet the deadline.”