Senator Cooney Announces Passage of Senate "One-House Budget"

(ROCHESTER, NY) - Senator Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester) today announced the State Senate passed their “one-house” budget proposal, outlining their priorities for the upcoming FY2025 state budget negotiations. Senator Cooney explained that several provisions in the budget resolution would directly impact Rochester and Monroe County, including funding for a new long-distance bus terminal, a tax credit for working families and investments to make housing more affordable. 

Senator Cooney said, “I’m proud to have worked with the Senate Majority to pass a one-house budget that delivers for the needs of Rochesterians. From affordable housing and supporting our students, to providing for working families and investing in our transit systems, this budget proposal takes a holistic approach to delivering for our upstate communities. I’ll keep fighting to get these investments included in the final budget and continue working to make Rochester, Monroe County and New York State a place people can succeed and thrive.” 

Below are some priorities of Senator Cooney that are included in the budget resolution:

Direct Funding to projects across Monroe County: 

• $15 million to construct a long-distance bus terminal at the Louise M. Slaughter Station. Last week, Senator Cooney announced his push for funding in the budget to construct Phase II of the Louise M. Slaughter Intermodal Station. Rochester has been without a permanent long-distance bus terminal for the past 12 years. 
• $17 million to the Town of Henrietta to purchase a transformer and spur development. Development projects have been on hold at a site in Henrietta due to a lack of access to power. The town needs $17 million to purchase a transformer and make the site shovel-ready. It’s been estimated that 1,000 new housing units and 250 jobs have been on hold while the town waits for the transformer. 
• $25 million devoted to anti-poverty initiatives in Rochester.

• $210 million increase in “Aid and Incentives for Municipalities” to support our local governments. 

Supporting New York’s students: 

• Increases overall education spending by $1.2 billion, for a total of $46.1 billion. 

• Rejects proposed cuts to Foundation Aid and increases school aid to $747 million, providing a minimum 3% increase for all school districts across the state. 
• $150 million investment for universal pre-k.
• $125 million for universal school meals.

Uplifting working families: 

• Working Families Tax Credit. This would replace and increase the existing Empire State Child Tax Credit to provide a $550 credit per child to single taxpayers making under $75,000 and for married taxpayers making under $130,000. With 50% of Rochester’s children living below the poverty line, Senator Cooney has made it his priority to increase this credit and uplift local families. He was the co-prime sponsor of the legislation with Senator Gounardes of Brooklyn. 
• Child care investments, including an additional $220 million for the Workforce Retention Grant Program to support employees and keep child care centers staffed. 
• Creation of a stronger Temporary Disability Insurance Program, to support employees out of work through no fault of their own with a more favorable benefit structure. This increases the weekly capped allowance from $170 per week.

Transportation: 

• Additional $160 million for the Consolidated Local Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), for a total of $698.1 million. This program is the primary source of funding for local roads and bridge repair. 

• Record support for transit systems, like RTS. The budget resolution provides $79.6 million in additional STOA (State Operating Assistance) funding, a 15% increase from the Governor’s budget, for upstate transit systems like Rochester’s Regional Transit Service.

Housing and support for tenants: 

• $250 million for the Housing Access Voucher Program. Senator Cooney co-sponsored the bill (S586B) that proposed establishing the Housing Access Voucher Program and has been a staunch advocate for its adoption. Currently, near 50% of renters in Monroe County are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their monthly income on rent. This program would subsidize rent for those most in need and help our families and individuals avoid homelessness. 
• New York Housing Opportunity Corporation. Funded with a $250 million investment, this new program would incentivize and expedite the construction of affordable housing on state-owned land across New York State. 
• $40 million for the construction of one-to-two family small infill homes in Rochester and other upstate cities.

Healthcare and Medicaid: 

• Supporting our hospitals and nursing homes with Medicaid rate increases. The Senate budget adds $1.6 billion for reimbursement rate increases, including a 3% increase across the board, an additional 6.5% for nursing homes and assisted living facilities and an additional 7% for inpatient and outpatient hospital services.

• Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Program. An additional $10 million would be invested to support abortion access grants for a total of $35 million. 

Pension reform: 

• Fixing Tier 6. Changes in the one-house budget would create a system that meets the needs of New York’s public employees. This will both support workers already in the system, and encourage others to pursue public sector jobs. 

AAPI:

• $30 million for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The one-house budget sets aside funds to combat hate crimes, provide crisis intervention services, and create an AAPI Community Development Fund.

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