The country’s highest paid (by far) state Legislature, the one sitting in Albany, has once again failed its most basic duty. It’s April 1, the first day of the New York State government’s fiscal year 2026 and we can say with 100% certainty that there is no budget in place as there was no possibility of yesterday’s session running past midnight.
We are so sure because there was no session yesterday, being a religious holiday. The 63-member state Senate and the 150-member Assembly haven’t met since last Thursday. For this they get paid $142,000 a year (and the leaders get paid more) and all 213 can earn unlimited outside income.
When the budget is on time, they pat themselves on the back. When it’s late, it doesn’t matter. That makes this a “doesn’t matter” year.
Eventually, this week or next week or sometime there will be a late budget passed, along with any of hotly debated non-budget policy items like a smartphone ban in schools, involuntary hospitalization of the seriously mentally ill, discovery reform and enhanced penalties for harassment while wearing a mask. However, when that happens the members will be voting for a budget with scant details. Missing will be the tables showing where the money is coming from and where it’s going.
The excellent watchdogs at the Citizens Budget Commission, who have kept a sharp eye on the finances of the state and city since 1932, say quite correctly that the tables should be published by the governor’s Division of the Budget before the voting. What a good idea! The CBC has again this year pleaded for the tables to be released upfront.
The present practice is for those crucial documents to wait until what is called the enacted budget, which is at least 30 days following the vote. It can actually be 40 days because the governor has 10 days to sign. And the published numbers are often different than what they voted for.
Does this mishigas happen in 49 other state capitals?
One thing that does happen everywhere else is that they all have more reasonable dates for their fiscal years. In 46 states the state fiscal year begins on July 1 (which is what New York City uses.) The Texas fiscal year starts Sept. 1, while Alabama and Michigan use the same date at Uncle Sam, Oct. 1.
The New York date is not written in the state Constitution, but in statute so it can be easily changed to be later in the year, when income tax revenues are better known. An added concern this year is New York leaders don’t know how much will be coming from the federal government and the extent of any cuts proposed by the Trump administration and approved by the Congress.
New York State used to have July 1 as the fiscal year, but it was shifted to April 1 in 1943 as the behest of Gov. Tom Dewey. Returning to July 1 seems perfectly logical to us.
Would an extra three months to pass a spending plan change the behavior in Albany, or would they just blow the July 1 deadline as willy-nilly as they ignore the April 1 deadline?
The other option is to just follow the law as written and pass a budget on time. Maybe next year.
