Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s $175 billion state budget was so jam packed with policies that it will take multiple React-O-Mat™ editions to capture all the opinions…
Audubon New York Executive Director Ana Paula Tavares:
“Governor Cuomo’s proposals include an aggressive agenda that will tackle some of the biggest environmental challenges facing our nation. We fully support a carbon neutral future, achieved through ambitious goals like using our working lands and forests to achieve greater carbon sequestration, investing $1.5 billion in responsibly sited offshore wind and other renewables that minimize impacts to birds and other wildlife, and banning offshore drilling for oil and gas.”
“We are thrilled to see Governor Cuomo recognizing the importance of natural climate solutions. Additional grants for forest management will improve forest resiliency and build on the success of Audubon’s bird-friendly forest management programs, and a ban on offshore drilling will help ensure habitats for coastal and marine birds are preserved. The vision for New York State’s forests, waterways, and beaches should focus on balancing human activities with the preservation of our unique ecosystems, a source of pride for all New Yorkers and a boon for our state’s economy.”
“Audubon New York looks forward to working with Governor Cuomo and the Legislature to ensure these critical issues for birds and people are enacted into law.”
New York State Nurses Association Communications Director Carl Ginsburg:
The New York State Nurses Association commends the Governor and the Department of Health for taking this first and essential step towards enacting Safe Staffing legislation/regulation in hospitals and nursing homes from Buffalo to the Bronx.
This is a huge step towards every patient in the State of New York getting the care they need and deserve.
Safe staffing levels are essential to providing quality patient care. New York patients are currently at risk because healthcare administrators are forcing nurses and caregivers to take on an unsafe level of patients.
New York needs a safe staffing law to help ensure that our patients always get the quality care they need.
Studies show safe staffing reduces occurrences of avoidable patient deaths, decreases incidents of hospital-acquired infections, shortens hospital stays, reduces incidents of workplace violence, and boosts overall nurse retention—all of which add up to significant savings for hospitals. To put it plainly, safe staffing plans would not increase costs for hospitals or nursing facilities. In fact, just the opposite: it would help contain costs and provide better care for all New Yorkers.
New York Conference of Mayors Executive Director Peter Baynes:
“When it comes to local governments and the property tax, the Governor’s budget fails to abide by its theme of ‘justice,’ as it would eliminate state aid for the vast majority of New York’s smallest local governments. If the goal this legislative session is to enact progressive tax reform, it will not be achieved by cutting local aid and removing municipalities’ ability to follow through on their goal to reduce the regressive property tax burden. We urge state legislators to join NYCOM in the fight to restore these cuts, preserve the essential municipal services funded by this aid, and protect New Yorkers from state-induced increases in the regressive local property tax.”
Modern Families Coalition:
“We’re thrilled that Governor Cuomo is fighting on behalf of New York families who rely on medical assistance to become parents by lifting the antiquated ban on surrogacy agreements. The Governor has taken a tremendous step forward for New York’s progressive values,” said The Rev. Stan J. Sloan, CEO of Family Equality Council, which works to advance equality for LGBTQ families. “We look forward to working to ensure swift passage by the state legislature, along with our tremendous bill sponsors Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.”
New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers Executive Director John Coppola:
New York has had the greatest system of prevention, treatment, and recovery services in the country. Unfortunately, years of flat funding has compromised that system and its ability to continue to do its job under normal circumstances – let alone in the midst of the opioid, heroin, and fentanyl crisis. While we await the budget bills, the funding levels that Governor Andrew Cuomo appears to be proposing are not adequate for a fiscally challenged service delivery system to stop the continued escalation in overdoses and addiction in communities across New York. The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, responsible for leading New York’s battle against addiction, is one of the state agencies that appears to be getting the flat funding referenced in the Governor’s address. This was the budget approach in 2018, and as expected, it did not stop the increase in overdose deaths. It will not stop increasing overdoses in 2019, either.
If The Bronx was a state it would have the second highest opioid-related overdose death rate in the country behind only West Virginia. That statistic alone should be enough to change Albany’s approach to the opioid crisis, which is the largest public health emergency related to drugs that we have ever experienced. We need a smart strategy – significant new investments to rebuild the workforce, adjusting Medicaid rates to accurately reflect costs so treatment providers can keep the lights on, expanding Medication Assisted Treatment, bolstering prevention efforts, and making treatment available on-demand 24-7 are just some of the immediate steps we should be taking.
ASAP is hopeful the progressive leadership of Senate Leader Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Heastie will result in a more comprehensive plan than that included in the Governor’s proposal.
A policy change as dramatic as legalizing marijuana for adult use deserves the time and focus warranted by a cautious approach so that we avoid the mistakes made in other states. ASAP urges the legislature to take the time to thoroughly consider all dimensions of legalizing marijuana, preferably holding the debate outside the budget. ASAP is encouraged that communities disproportionally impacted by past injustices are given attention in the Governor’s proposal. Policies should be driven by science, good public health practice, and data. New York must be better prepared for the avalanche of unintended health and safety consequences experienced in other states.
Brennan Center for Justice President Michael Waldman:
“Bold democracy reform requires bold leadership, and today the governor demonstrated just that. The policies he proposed—small donor public financing and automatic voter registration—will bring more New Yorkers into the political process. More people will have access to the ballot box, and regular New Yorkers will have a much stronger voice in Albany. These reforms are fundamental, and they will make Albany a model for the rest of the country.”
New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher:
“New York Farm Bureau is grateful for the historic commitment Governor Cuomo’s proposed budget is making to agriculture in the state. The expected appropriations for agricultural research, marketing and promotion will be a true investment in the state’s farm families. In addition, there is increased support for the Environmental Protection Fund and programs to address climate resiliency and soil health which are important to the future of New York agriculture.
New York Farm Bureau appreciates Governor Cuomo’s leadership with this budget, and we will work with him and the legislative leaders to secure final passage of the funding. It is imperative in this struggling farm economy that state lawmakers understand the necessity of having strong state support for local food production. Farms are the backbone of the rural economy and play a vital role that benefits all of New York State.”
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Andy Pallotta:
“This legislative session represents a historic opportunity to invest in our future. As we review the details of the Governor’s proposed budget, we look forward to working with lawmakers and the Governor to add additional funding for K-12 and higher education, to immediately fix New York’s broken teacher evaluation system, and to fully fund SUNY and CUNY.”
Reinvent Albany:
Reinvent Albany appreciates the Governor reaching an agreement with State Comptroller DiNapoli which appears to restore Comptroller oversight over certain SUNY, CUNY, SUNY Research Foundation and Office of General Services (OGS) centralized contracts in conjunction with the Inspector General (IG). The agreement also gives the IG new oversight authority over all SUNY/CUNY nonprofit affiliates for which it can investigate complaints of fraud, waste, criminal activity, corruption or conflicts of interest and refer criminal acts for prosecution. Contractors, vendors, and stage agency grantees will additionally be required to certify no collusion or conflicts in bidding and disclose family, financial, and employment relationships between contractors and State officials or electeds.
Reinvent Albany strongly supports many of the clean government measures proposed in Governor Cuomo’s 2019/2020 budget. We agree with the Governor on a great number of his proposals, and we believe there is support in the legislature for many of them. We hope the Governor works closely with the Senate and Assembly to reach consensus and put those measures into law
Drug Policy Alliance state director Kassandra Frederique:
“Repairing the damage done by marijuana prohibition is not negotiable. Restitution to communities most impacted by marijuana prohibition is the starting line. Legalization in New York must be as comprehensive as the damage that has been done throughout the state.”
“We have the chance to pass the most progressive marijuana legalization bill in the U.S. Given New York’s appalling history with racially biased marijuana enforcement, we must be bold and innovative in creating justice and equity. We want to see a policy that is responsive to the lives of New Yorkers, not solely business interests. Legalization can be an economic engine driving wealth and equity in marginalized communities and providing space for alternative economic systems—if we work intentionally.”
New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association:
“We applaud Governor Cuomo for moving forward with a responsible adult-use marijuana program in New York — and we support his effort to ensure that historically disenfranchised communities impacted by the failed War on Drugs participate in the new cannabis economy.
The Registered Organizations in the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association (NYMCIA) look forward to playing an active role in building the adult-use program. We’ve collectively invested more than $250 million in recent years to develop a state-of-the-art infrastructure that’s paved the way for the safest and most-highly regulated medical marijuana program in the country.
We are hopeful the adult-use legislation allows the existing medical providers to participate fully, as that is the only way to keep prices low enough to ensure patients continue to receive the care they need and to protect against an illicit market.
We look forward to sharing our expertise with Governor Cuomo, lawmakers, and community leaders from across the state to create a robust, regulated, and equitable cannabis economy in New York.”
LiUNA-NY’s Patrick Purcell:
“On behalf of LiUNA-NY’s combined 40,000 members and over 1,500 signatory contractors, we applaud Governor Cuomo for his commitment to hardworking New Yorkers and recognizing the need for prevailing wage requirements on publicly subsidized projects.
For too long New York has been a developer’s paradise, doling out billions of our tax dollars to subsidize development, with little to no standards in return for these investments. Under the Governor’s leadership, New York will finally be able to shift the paradigm of procurement to ensure our hard-earned tax dollars subsidize responsible development, helping to end the race to the bottom we continue to see in construction.
We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature in the coming months to make these prevailing wage requirements a reality for construction workers both upstate and down.”
New York Public Interest Research Group:
Environment: While details are under review, the Governor’s proposed “Green New Deal” offers an important starting point for the changes needed to protect residents from catastrophic climate change. Key climate change actions that must be included are: stopping all fossil fuel infrastructure projects and committing to a fossil-free future, with measurable metrics and robust reporting. With over $80 billion in water infrastructure needs, the Governor’s proposed increase by $2.5 billion funding for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, if it is over the same time period, puts New York on a faster track to repair and replace failing pipes and protect water sources. New York must keep up with its trend of increasing funding to finally meet the state’s outstanding drinking water needs. Banning plastic bags and expanding the bottle bill are critical steps to drastically reducing litter and solid waste, but banning plastic bags must be coupled with a fee on paper bags to be most effective.
Healthcare: Too many New Yorkers need health insurance and still don’t have it, despite the federal Affordable Care Act. The Governor’s pledge to strengthen the state’s health exchange and to expand coverage is necessary. The state should look to other approaches, such as one that relies on a “single-payer” system, to ensure that every resident has insurance coverage. The state needs to do whatever it can to rein in the costs of prescription drugs.
Higher education: Allowing financial aid for eligible college students who are undocumented is a significant improvement in the state’s Tuition Assistance Program. The Governor’s plan to fund the next phase of the Excelsior Scholarship is welcome. However, we urge the Legislature to closely examine spending on opportunity programs, which provide aid and services to some of New York’s most vulnerable students. Protections for student borrowers and regulating loan servicers are critically important and well past due.
Mass transit: The Governor called for congestion pricing in Manhattan to raise billions of dollars to pay for the repair and modernization of the MTA’s ever-worsening transit system. As straphangers continue to suffer from some of the worst commutes in the country, the state must commit to significant improvements for the City’s subways and buses, chiefly by fully funding the MTA’s proposed ‘Fast Forward’ plan. We support progressive and sustainable sources of revenue, like congestion pricing, to ensure that happens.
Reforms: The Governor’s plans to improve elections, dramatically overhaul and improve the state’s campaign finance system – including a voluntary system of public financing and further steps to improve voting – are changes that should be embraced and improved. Measures to combat corruption in terms of contracting and ethics enforcement stand out as areas that need close review by the Legislature.
Legalizing marijuana for all adult use: The Governor’s proposal to legalize cannabis for adult use in New York is an important step to reduce harms that current policies inflict on New York communities. NYPIRG sees no valid reason to treat 18, 19, or 20-year-old adults differently than adults 21 or older. New York must create a legal marijuana system that considers public health and safety issues, and be led in policy discussions by impacted communities.
Citizen Action of New York co-Executive Director Jessica Wisneski:
“It’s great that the Governor has uplifted his long-standing support for public campaign financing by prioritizing it in his Executive Budget and 100-Day Agenda. There’s no better way to counter Trump’s anti-democracy agenda than by passing campaign finance reforms that amplify the voices of everyday New Yorkers. The new Congress has made HR1 their first priority of 2019. In New York, we can become national leaders by passing public campaign financing in the state budget.
“The Governor, Senate and Assembly now all agree that we must overhaul New York’s bail and discovery laws, ensure speedy trial, and legalize marijuana. We need bail overhaul that centers decarceration, protects due process, and ends race and wealth-based disparities in the system. Any marijuana legalization bill passed must address past harm by expunging conviction records and reinvesting in the communities most harmed by the decades-long War on Drugs.
“On education, the Governor continues to ignore the facts. Public schools across the state are woefully underfunded. We all have the same goals to finally achieve equity, specifically for systemically underfunded schools in Black and Brown communities. But we must acknowledge that the Governor has failed to abide by the Foundation Aid formula, which is in New York State law. We are hopeful that the new State Senate and long-time allies in the State Assembly will continue to fight for the funding our schools need: the $2.2 billion increase called for by the Board of Regents.”
AARP state director Beth Finkel:
“Governor Cuomo’s proposed $15 million increase for services that support working and middle class family caregivers in caring for their loved ones at home would help thousands of families.
This is a smart and visionary investment; these services help prevent unwanted placements in much costlier and mostly taxpayer-financed nursing homes, and our rapidly aging population is driving higher need.
The increase would fund more home-delivered meals, transportation to medical appointments and assistance with bathing, dressing and other daily activities – the kind of support working and middle class caregivers need to continue caring for loved ones at home.
Thousands of New Yorkers are stuck on waiting lists for these critical non-Medicaid services, and the Governor’s proposal would mean many more New Yorkers will finally receive these services.
It’s the right move to support family caregivers who, by the state’s own estimate, provide $32 billion worth of unpaid care every year to our parents, spouses and other loved ones.
AARP urges the Legislature to support and enhance the Governor’s proposal.
AARP will also work with legislators to advance a tax credit for family caregivers, which would help offset the nearly $7,000 that the average caregiver spends out of pocket every year on caregiving – nearly 20% of income. A tax credit for up to half of annual caregiving expenses, up to $3,500, would especially help caregivers of color; Hispanic caregivers spend over $9,000 to care for their loved ones on average – an astounding 44% of their income – and African Americans spend over $6,600, or 34% of income.”
Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth Raske:
New York’s hospital community supports a number of Governor Cuomo’s budget proposals, especially the significant Medicaid funding increase which, as he stated, is necessary given the threat of severe Federal cuts to safety net hospitals. I applaud the Governor for standing with us against these cuts, and for increasing the Medicaid spending cap from 3.1% to 3.6%, the same increase proposed for school aid.
Along those lines, I was struck by the Governor’s description of the stark contrast between recent health care spending increases and recent education spending increases. Health care spending has consistently stayed within its ‘global cap’ restraints. That’s been a huge challenge for New York’s financially struggling safety net hospitals.
I also praise the Governor’s proposal to study ways to provide universal access to health care. GNYHA members strongly believe that health care is a human right, and stand ready to help with this endeavor.
The Governor also proposes a study on health care staffing and the costs associated with different approaches. While we have made it clear that we oppose staffing mandates from Albany, we will work with the Governor and his staff to study the issue.
We look forward to studying the Governor’s budget proposal in greater detail and will provide further comments in the coming days.
National Infertility Association President/CEO Barbara Collura:
“We are encouraged by Governor Cuomo’s commitment to the principles of the Fair Access to Fertility Treatment Act. This is a great start and puts New Yorkers one step closer to fair access to fertility treatment. There are more than 400,000 New Yorkers struggling to build their families, and we are confident the Legislature will support them. It’s time that New York joins the growing number of states that require insurance coverage for In Vitro Fertilization and other fertility treatments. It’s the right thing to do.”
New York State Association of County Health Officials Executive Director:
“There are several elements of the Governor’s budget address that appear promising, including his proposal of dedicating marijuana tax revenue for public heath education, data gathering and monitoring, substance abuse prevention, and research on cannabis use. Local public health departments will play a critical role in all of these activities, therefore it is imperative that local health departments are properly resourced by the State to do so.
“We also are heartened to see the Governor’s proposal to raise the age of tobacco sales and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21 years of age. The State of New York has long been a national leader in the fight against tobacco and the Governor’s announcement today further demonstrates the State’s commitment to public health policy that is aimed to protect communities, families and youth from exposure to tobacco products.
“We look forward to reviewing the budget details as they become available, and working with the Governor and Legislature to ensure we can effectively respond to the local public health needs of New York’s communities.”
National Federation of Independent Business state director Greg Biryla:
“NFIB is ready to work with Governor Cuomo to make the landmark property tax cap permanent, ensure continued income tax relief extends to small businesses that drive the middle-class, and bring additional accountability and discipline to government spending. These actions proposed by the Governor are essential to making New York State more affordable and ensuring small businesses can compete, grow and hire in a modern economy.
“NFIB and our members remain concerned that some proposed employer mandates contained in the Governor’s address appear to embrace a flawed, one-size-fits-all regulatory model that severely limits the autonomy and flexibility small businesses need to attract talent and remain competitive.
“The roadmap to a strong, sustainable economy starts on the Main Streets that bisect and define every community in this state from the New York Harbor to Lake Erie. We look forward to partnering with the Governor and every member of the Legislature in the coming weeks to support the small business owners that risk it all to create an opportunity for themselves, their communities, and their state.”
Environmental Advocates of New York Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz:
“Governor Cuomo’s budget acknowledges that it’s a new day in New York with thoughtful proposals on environmental priorities like water infrastructure, congestion pricing, and climate. The Governor must also recognize that his partners, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, have been leading on these issues for years and are eager to get to work.
With all three state leaders expressing their strong commitment to the environment, there are finally no more obstacles and no more excuses—the time for New York to take its place as an environmental leader is now.”
New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento:
“Governor Cuomo has once again shown his unwavering commitment to stand up for all working men and women declaring New York State a “national champion for organized labor.” As he highlighted his legislative priorities, he called for enacting the most pro-labor protections in the country by aggressively protecting the right to organize and collectively bargain. I applaud the governor for calling for construction projects with public subsidies to be subject to prevailing wage to ensure they are built properly. And I commend him for doubling down on his commitment to ensure working people are treated fairly in our great state in the wake of the Janus decision. We look forward to working with the governor to grow the middle class by ensuring working people continue to have a voice in the workplace by building an even stronger labor movement.”
Young Invincibles northeast policy analyst Melanie Kruvelis:
“The Governor’s proposed budget highlights the importance of investing in young New Yorkers and recognizes that the next generation’s ability to thrive is essential for New York’s future. As getting ahead in New York becomes increasingly more difficult and expensive – particularly for low-income New Yorkers, young people of color, and the state’s young immigrants – the Governor’s proposed budget takes some important steps by ensuring pre-existing condition protections remain in place, prioritizing the passage of the New York State DREAM Act, and making voting easier for every New Yorker.
Although there’s more work to be done at the state level to address the unique needs of young New Yorkers, today’s proposed budget makes a commendable effort to help address the challenges facing New York’s young people. We look forward to working with leadership in Albany to ensure that every young person in New York can achieve financial stability and flourish.”
New York Public Transit Association President Bill Carpenter:
“We thank the Governor for addressing the needs of transit systems across the state and making congestion pricing a priority. NYPTA will continue to advocate for long-term, recurring funding for the MTA and other systems through additional dedicated funding sources. We look forward to working closely with the Governor and legislators in the coming months to ensure that transit continues to play an important role in economic development, education, health care and the daily lives of millions of New Yorkers.”
Children PAC Protect NY Kids’ Gary Greenberg:
“We welcome Gov.Cuomo’s support for the Child Victims Act, but believe the best outcome is for the Senate and Assembly to pass the Child Victims Act immediately. The governor can sign the bill by Jan. 30th.
There are 150 New York kids being sexual abused a day. Child sexual abuse is an epidemic in New York and this has to end now. The Child Victims Act must have No SOL on criminal and civil cases, a 1-year look back, a victims’ assistance fund ,mandatory education in schools and mandatory reporting for priest, rabbis ,all teachers all positions of authority .”
“The governor mentioned the catholic church and comments the Pope made however, clergy abuse accounts for just 5 percent of actual child sexual abuse. A heinous crime. We must give all victims justice and healing.”
Unshackle Upstate Executive Director Michael Kracker:
“We fully support the Governor’s adherence to a 2-percent state spending cap and the call for a permanent 2-percent property tax cap. The property tax cap has saved overburdened homeowners approximately $25 billion since its passage. Enacting a permanent property tax cap should be a top legislative priority in the coming weeks.
We’re also encouraged by the Governor’s commitment to Upstate infrastructure investment. Repairing our aging roads, bridges and water systems is imperative – a strong economy requires a strong foundation.
Despite these positive measures, the Governor advanced a number of proposals that would severely weaken our economy and hurt taxpayers.
The proposal to apply prevailing wage to all projects that receive state funding is a death sentence for Upstate economic development initiatives. Under this mandate, efforts to fix our crumbling infrastructure would be far too expensive to pursue. We also oppose the Governor’s energy production mandate that would dramatically drive up costs for commercial and residential energy consumers. These measures may be touted as progressive, but in reality, they’re just painful.
Additionally, we are staunchly against taxpayer-funded political campaigns. Wasting the state’s limited tax dollars on high-priced political consultants and annoying robocalls is simply unacceptable.
As Governor Cuomo has said in the past, New York has no future as the tax capital of the nation. New Yorkers will continue to flee the state until Albany takes action to reduce taxes across the board and improve the state’s harsh business climate. Governor Cuomo and the Legislature must take full advantage of the new opportunity to stand up for struggling taxpayers. This moment in time must not be wasted.”
Realities of Single Payer:
The Realities of Single Payer coalition applauds the Governor’s efforts to achieve universal access to health care for all New Yorkers. Our broad-based coalition of employers, health care providers, labor unions, health plans and brokers fully support his approach of building on the success of the Affordable Care Act, which has reduced the number of uninsured in New York to historically low levels and reduced the cost of individual coverage by 50 percent.
Convening a Commission for Universal Access to Health Care to identify policy options to improve access to care and strengthen New York’s commercial insurance market is a pragmatic and progressive approach to attaining universal coverage. We look forward to contributing to the policy objectives of the Commission.
Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy research Director Carl Davis:
“If New York’s lawmakers are going to legalize cannabis sales, it’s important that they get the tax structure right. Fortunately, Gov. Cuomo has begun to guide that debate in a reasonable direction with his proposal for a hybrid tax structure that considers not just the price of cannabis, but also its weight.
“There is ample evidence from Colorado and other western states where legal cannabis sales are underway that retail prices will fall significantly in the years following legalization. Hitching cannabis taxes solely to the price of the drug is a recipe for long-run revenue inconsistency and disappointment. If cannabis becomes inexpensive, then a cannabis tax based on its price will fail to generate meaningful revenue. A weight-based tax can help create a more consistent and robust revenue stream.
“Getting the tax structure right from the outset is important. Last year, excise taxes collected from recreational cannabis sales in the states that have legalized it exceeded $1 billion for the first time. Cannabis tax revenue is poised to grow rapidly as New York and other states weigh legalizing cannabis. Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont are also considering legalization of recreational cannabis sales this year.”
Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts President & CEO Robin Chappelle Golston:
“We applaud Governor Andrew Cuomo leadership to protect our access to safe, legal abortion by enshrining this essential protection in our state constitution. New York led the nation on reproductive rights almost 50 years ago and faced with unrelenting threats from a federal administration, we will again. The threat to our health care is real and Governor Cuomo has made it clear that we will never turn back the clock. We look forward to working with the Governor, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl E. Heastie, to ensure New York continues to protect and advance access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care.”
Association of School Business Officials of New York:
“The Governor continues to shift blame for inadequate funding for high need school districts from the state to local districts who are still owed $4.1 billion in Foundation Aid. If a school district is underfunded, then how can they equitably distribute resources to individual schools within their district? A majority of funding disparities between school buildings are the result of teacher salary differentials for more senior teachers and the location of special needs programs. ”
“In addition, the Governor continues another worrisome trend in dictating how school districts spend and allocate their funds, which started with the advent of community schools set aside within Foundation Aid. Foundation Aid is supposed to be unrestricted aid that school districts use to meet their individual needs and now high need districts are being told how to spend any increases in their Foundation Aid.
“If the Governor wants this much control over how school districts allocate their funds, he should consider running for school board.”
Association of Towns Executive Director Gerry Geist:
“Gov. Cuomo’s executive budget is another tough one for towns that have worked hard in recent years to provide essential services to taxpayers while making do with meager assistance from the state. Town officials are committed to making smart investments in communities statewide while keeping taxes in check. But any proposal to make the tax cap permanent must also take into account the fact that municipal aid has not increased in 10 years, and infrastructure funding through the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program has not kept pace with inflation. The Association of Towns will continue working with the governor and legislators to ensure that the final budget treats municipalities statewide with the fairness they deserve.”
Uber NY senior policy Josh Gold:
“Thank you Governor Cuomo for supporting congestion pricing, a solution experts agree will actually ease congestion while funding mass transit. Uber believes that all users of Manhattan’s congested roads – whether it’s a personal vehicle, delivery truck, taxi or Uber – should pay their fair share to keep New York City moving forward.”
American Heart Association state government relations director Caitlin O’Brien:
“Electronic cigarette use among youth doubled between 2014 and 2016, from 10.5% to 20.6%, and is continuing to rise. This means every day, more kids are >increasing their risk for heart disease and stroke, We have long known that if people don’t use tobacco products by the time they are 21, their chances of doing so drop to only 2 percent. Gov. Cuomo’s recognition of the public health benefits associated with Tobacco 21 couldn’t come at a better time.”
“Youth need to realize that while flavored like their favorite candy, these products actually contain the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Sweeping tobacco reforms are imperative to preventing deadly addiction and the numerous diseases and disabilities associated with its use.”
“We are glad to see that Gov. Cuomo plans to prioritize education for this coming year. The academic performance and physical wellness of children go hand in hand, so focusing on strengthening school wellness policies in New York makes sense.”
Food Industry Alliance of New York State President & CEO and Albama Crimson Tide super fan:
“While New York’s retail food industry is supportive of the Governor’s effort to make the property tax cap permanent and the continued phase-in of the previously enacted middle-class tax cuts, we have significant concerns with a number of proposals incorporated within Governor Cuomo’s Executive Budget proposal.
We strongly oppose the proposed ban on single-use plastic bags and believe it is not a sustainable solution for New York’s environment or the retail food industry. A plastic bag ban will simply push consumers to utilize paper bags, which is both cost prohibitive to retail food stores and environmentally unfriendly. This proposed ban also fails to recognize that New York’s food industry is already a leader in promoting sustainable environmental efforts by encouraging the existing reuse and recycling law and by providing reusable bags. Further, we are troubled by the proposed bottle bill expansion and, pending review of specific language, various labor protection mandates that were presented.
New York’s retail food industry is often the first employer for many New Yorkers and is a committed investor in communities across our state. It is critically important that lawmakers recognize their importance to our economy as we move through this budget process. New labor and environmental mandates cannot be absorbed considering the annual substantial growth in business costs and should be soundly rejected.
We look forward to working with the Governor and lawmakers in both houses to boost New York’s retail food industry.”
Nature Conservancy in New York policy director Jessica Ottney Mahar:
“Governor Cuomo‘s robust environmental agenda reconfirms New York as a national leader. He proposed significant steps to fight climate change including using our lands – such as forests and wetlands – to reduce carbon pollution and tackle global warming as well as creating programs to ensure a just transition to the clean energy economy. The Governor also doubled down on his commitment to a proactive and cost-effective way to secure clean drinking water for our communities – by proposing an additional investment of $2.5 billion for the current Water Infrastructure Investment Act.”
PowHerNY:
PowHerNY looks forward to seeing the work begun by the Women’s Equity Agenda in 2013 to be completed and expanded during the 2019 New York State legislative session under the leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the State Senate and the Assembly. Issues ranging from health care and women’s reproductive health, expansion of equal, civil and voting rights, fair and equal pay, child care, and education are all on the docket and in the budget this year. Creating an economy that works for everyone all across the state coupled with expanding rights will ensure New York’s place as a progressive leader in the nation.
New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe:
“New York is again showing environmental leadership as Washington moves backward. The Governor is proposing bold ideas on a host of NYLCV priorities for 2019 – including congestion pricing, a Green New Deal, a $10 billion Green Future Fund, steps to address the recycling crisis, toxic chemical product disclosure, and protecting children from lead exposure. We need to act on climate change, not simply develop plans and set lofty goals. That’s why it’s so exciting to see Governor Cuomo’s Green New Deal. His plan to green our state’s power grid by 2040, with real, measurable interim targets and commitment to climate justice are nation-leading actions in combating climate change. We are also thrilled that Cuomo is advancing a congestion pricing plan. It is past time to fix the subways and invest in transit deserts while reducing traffic and improving air quality. Congestion pricing is the only approach that does all three. The Green Future Fund will double the Clean Water Infrastructure Act’s investment in protecting drinking water, provide $3 billion for green energy and clean transportation, and invest $2 billion to protect natural resources. We look forward to working with the Governor and our partners in the legislature to move these green policies and investments forward.”
Environmental Advocates of New York clean water associate Rob Hayes:
“Governor Cuomo’s budget recognizes that water infrastructure funding is good for our environment, good for jobs, and good for communities. The $2.5 billion in new funding announced today will be a major boost to communities struggling to protect their drinking water from corroding water mains, crumbling wastewater plants, and lead water lines. We applaud the Governor’s proposal, and look forward to working with the state Senate and Assembly to secure this funding in the SFY 2019-20 State Budget.”
American Cancer Society – Cancer Action Network state senior government relations director Julie Hart:
“Tobacco Companies have been making a killing off New Yorkers. It’s exciting to know that New York has a chance to be the national leader in standing up to big tobacco.
“We know the tobacco industry can be deceptive and is always coming up with new products to entice kids to start. Strong tobacco control policies, such as tobacco 21, can help reduce the burden of tobacco.
“As the state enacts aggressive tobacco policies, it is important for the state to supplement and not substitute funding for the state’s tobacco control program. In addition to taking a stand against the tobacco industry, the state must ensure additional funding is provided for lifesaving cancer screenings.”
Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York Executive Director Tom Stebbins:
“As New York lawmakers finalize this bill, they should ensure maximum compensation for the survivors, not further enrich the lawyers. Law firms are already preparing for this legislation to pass by hiring p.r. firms, running ads and setting up shop in New York from out of state,” Stebbins said. “To protect the funds meant to compensate the victims, a section should be added to limit lawyers’ fees by creating a fee schedule similar to what already exists for medical malpractice lawsuits.”
Healthcare Association of New York State President Bea Grause:
HANYS commends Governor Cuomo for a thoughtful and deliberate approach on key issues facing the healthcare sector.
The Governor has proposed a commission to consider how to achieve universal access to healthcare in New York. We believe that studying this complex issue is the right approach.
The Governor has also proposed a nurse staffing study by the Department of Health. We have strongly opposed mandated nurse staffing ratios in the past, and continue to believe that inflexible mandates are the wrong approach. In this regard, multiple studies, including the recent Massachusetts Health Policy Commission study, clearly demonstrate that inflexible staffing mandates do not improve quality and only increase costs. We stand ready, however, to discuss ways to make further improvements in patient safety and quality of care.
We look forward to a robust, fact-based dialogue on both of these issues.
We also support the Governor’s proposal to codify the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including protections for pre-existing conditions, as well as his effort to address gun violence.
Finally, we look forward to working with the Governor and state lawmakers on continued investment in the healthcare system in 2019. The state has made significant progress in recent years –climbing in the national healthcare rankings – and we want to continue and expand that progress.
Smart Approaches to Marijuana New York President Kevin Sabet:
“Marijuana legalization would enrich Big Tobacco at the expense of the health and safety of New Yorkers. We call on Governor Cuomo to slow down and listen to public health and safety associations across the state, including the Medical Society and county health officials who have spoken out against legalization.
“Commercializing marijuana has resulted in consequences the Empire State does not need, including sharp increases in marijuana-impaired driving and fatalities, thriving black markets, sustained social injustice, and increased youth use just to name a few. The increase in youth use is concerning as just today a study was released that showed just a couple joints can drastically alter a developing brain.
“No matter how many states try, pot does not bring the promised ‘windfall’ of revenue. Promised social justice equity never materializes, arrest disparities continue, and innocent people get hurt. Governor Cuomo is not acting in the best interest of our state, this will only benefit Big Marijuana and its new Big Tobacco shareholders.
Recent polling shows support for legalization among New York voters has dropped 10% since Governor Cuomo chose to push for it. Additionally, an Emerson College poll found that the majority of New York voters prefer decriminalization over legalization.
“This fight is far from over. We will be making our voices heard.”