Legislative budget hearings start this week: O’Mara serves as Ranking Member on Senate Finance Committee

Albany, N.Y., January 21—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, today said that a monthlong series of public hearings on Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2024-2025 proposed state budget get underway this week in Albany.

The first budget hearing is being held on Tuesday and will focus on the governor's proposals for Health/Medicaid. The hearings can be viewed on O’Mara’s state Senate website, www.omara.nysenate.gov, and on the state Senate website at www.nysenate.gov/events. Archived video of each hearing will be available.   

Conducted jointly by the Senate Finance Committee, and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, the forums will examine the governor’s proposal in detail and solicit testimony from state agency officials, public policy and fiscal experts, local government representatives, business leaders, educators, farmers, and other advocates. 

O’Mara has served as the top Republican on the Finance Committee since 2021. He said he looks forward to having a direct voice on the legislative committee most responsible for overseeing the adoption of the state’s annual budget and setting the course for New York’s short- and long-term fiscal practices and responsibilities.

“Senate Republicans will continue to be a voice for lower taxes, less regulation, greater accountability, affordability, economic growth, job creation, and more common sense on state fiscal practices. I welcome the start of this year’s budget hearings, at this critical time, for direct input and critique on a range of policy areas that will decide the short- and long-term future and strength of our local communities and economies,” said O’Mara, who represents the 58th Senate District comprised of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates counties, and a part of Allegany County.

The following hearings schedule has been released:

January 23, beginning at 9:30 a.m., Health/Medicaid

January 24, 9:30 a.m., Transportation

January 25, 9:30 a.m., Public Protection

January 30, 9:30 a.m. (Economic Development/Arts) and 2:00 p.m. (Workforce Development/Labor)

January 31, 9:30 a.m., Human Services

February 1, 9:30 a.m., Elementary and Secondary Education

February 6, 9:30 a.m., Local/General Government

February 7, 9:30 a.m., Environmental Conservation

February 8, 9:30 a.m., Higher Education

February 14, 9:30 a.m. (Taxes) and 2:00 p.m. (Housing)

O’Mara said, “We need to keep working against a New York State tax and regulatory mindset that puts our businesses and manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage, imposes red tape that strangles local economies, or prioritizes higher and higher spending, overtaxing, outrageous mandates, and burdensome overregulation.”