FINANCE

NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams told state lawmakers on Tuesday that New York City faces a $1.1 billion budget shortfall within 12 weeks related to migrant services and requested state assistance, as he outlined the city's spending of nearly $7 billion on immigrant and asylum seeker care over three fiscal years. Testifying before joint legislative committees on the 2025-2026 executive budget, Adams highlighted the city's progress on public safety, reporting crime down 17 percent above ground and 36 percent in subways in January, with shootings down 22 percent. He also touted job growth and fiscal management, noting the city has delivered three balanced budgets. Adams requested state support for four legislative priorities: tax relief for working-class New Yorkers through the "Axe the Tax" plan, which would provide an average $350 benefit to 582,000 filers; the Supportive Interventions Act to address mental health crises; criminal justice reforms; and continued assistance with migrant services. On migrants, Adams said the city has processed 220,000 people through its care system, currently serving 46,000, and has moved 184,000 toward self-sufficiency. However, he emphasized the federal government provided only $200 million while the city spent $7 billion, and the city faces a $1.1 billion shortfall within 12 weeks. Senator Luis Sepúlveda pressed Adams on two issues: restoration of AIM (Aid and Incentives for Municipalities) funding, which would provide over $200 million annually, and property tax reform. Sepúlveda expressed frustration that despite previous commitments, the city has not adequately pursued AIM restoration. Adams committed to direct personal engagement, offering to schedule a Zoom call with his team to address Sepúlveda's concerns. Assemblyman Patrick Burke, the new Cities Committee chair from Buffalo, questioned the city's request for a $3 billion increase in TFA (Transitional Finance Authority) capacity, which Budget Director Jacques Jiha explained was needed for MTA contributions and capital projects including four new jails and the BQE. Burke also raised concerns about the Rikers Island closure, which Adams said has ballooned from $8 billion to nearly $16 billion. Assemblyman Lester Chang challenged the mega-jail in Chinatown, suggesting the city reconsider the City Council mandate and repurpose Rikers Island instead. Adams acknowledged the plan's flaws but noted the city must follow the law, arguing that 51 percent of Rikers inmates have mental health issues and need treatment, not smaller jails throughout the city. The hearing, held February 4 in Albany, was the fourth in a series on the governor's proposed budget. Additional panels on local government officials and general government were scheduled for later in the day. NEW YORK — NYC Mayor Eric Adams faced pointed questioning from state legislators on Tuesday over his administration's handling of asylum seeker services, early childhood education funding, and sanctuary city policies during a joint legislative budget hearing. Sen. Jessica Ramos challenged the mayor's $300 million cut to early childhood education, citing the city's own estimate of $23 billion in lost tax revenue due to the childcare crisis. She disputed Adams' claims of record enrollment, noting that the city is closing five Early Childhood Centers with 75 percent occupancy rates and that parents are struggling to find appropriate childcare. "These are centers that have been operating, some of them, for more than 50 years," Assemblyman Mamdani added, noting school attendance has declined up to 20 percent in some schools since ICE enforcement policies changed. Sen. Chan, a former police officer, challenged the mayor's decision to place a homeless shelter 20 feet from a subway station, citing research showing the city spends $750 per person per day on shelter services. "That's like putting a liquor store next to a gun store next to a school," Chan said. Adams defended the placement, arguing transit-accessible locations are ideal for housing-insecure individuals. On asylum services, Budget Director Jiha disclosed a $1 billion budget gap for the current fiscal year, as the city has not received anticipated state aid. Adams said the city currently houses 46,000-47,000 asylum seekers and has moved 179,000 people out of the system. Sen. Borrello, a Republican, pressed Adams on sanctuary city policies, noting that DocGo was canceling contracts with upstate organizations and questioning whether it was time to end the policy. Adams defended sanctuary status, saying it ensures people paying taxes can access city services. On public safety, Adams cited statistics showing 4.6 million daily subway riders with an average of six felonies per day, arguing the city's crime problem is one of perception rather than reality. He also touted achievements in MWBE contracting, reaching 33 percent for the first time in city history, and closing over 1,100 illegal cannabis shops with state assistance. The hearing, held before the Senate Finance Committee on February 4, highlighted tensions between the Adams administration and state legislators over budget priorities and the city's role in addressing homelessness, immigration, and education. NEW YORK — NYC Mayor Eric Adams defended his administration's handling of the migrant crisis and budget priorities during a joint legislative Finance Committee hearing on the 2025-2026 executive budget, facing pointed questions from state senators and assembly members on sanctuary city policy, affordable housing, and social services delivery. Adams emphasized that his administration successfully housed 220,000 people through an emergency shelter system built in weeks, with 180,000 no longer in city care and no children or families sleeping on streets. He achieved a 30 percent reduction in asylum-seeker costs and removed 7,700 individuals from streets through mental health crisis response. However, he faced sharp criticism from Sen. Weik over sanctuary city policies and their impact on upstate counties, with the senator arguing that Long Island sends more money to the state than NYC receives back—a claim Adams disputed, asserting NYC is the state's economic engine. First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer reported record-breaking affordable housing production, including nearly 3,000 senior units in the last calendar year, and highlighted acceleration of childcare invoice payments ($440 million in the last fiscal year). However, Assemblywoman González-Rojas challenged the mayor's affordability claims, citing that cash assistance applications are processed at only 53 percent timeliness and SNAP processing remains below the 95 percent target. She also noted that city workers are living in shelters. Assemblyman Epstein raised the case of Ramon Rivera, who killed two people after being discharged from Rikers without proper mental health support, calling for stronger discharge planning. Sen. Salazar pressed the mayor on the decision to not renew leases for two high-quality childcare centers in her district despite full enrollment. The hearing also addressed police staffing, e-bike enforcement, school safety for immigrant students, and the impact of proposed Foundation Aid cuts ($347 million reduction in FY26). Adams committed to expanding the Police Cadet Program and partnering with banks to teach financial literacy in schools. The hearing, held Feb. 4 in Albany, revealed significant tensions between the mayor and legislators over budget priorities, service delivery, and the distribution of state resources. NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams faced pointed questioning from state legislators on Tuesday over his administration's migrant housing policies, criminal justice reform plans, and hospital protocols affecting undocumented immigrants, during a joint legislative hearing on the 2025-2026 executive budget. Sen. Liz Krueger raised alarm over a Crain's Business report indicating that NYU Langone Hospital has instructed staff that "it is illegal to intentionally protect a person who is in the United States unlawfully from detention," contrasting sharply with guidance from the Greater New York Hospital Association. Krueger warned the policy could create a public health crisis if immigrants fear seeking medical care. Adams said he was unfamiliar with the specific hospital policy but committed to reviewing it. On migrant relocation, Assemblyman Beephan pressed Adams about migrants housed at a Red Roof Inn in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, citing a December announcement that they would be transferred out. Adams said his administration had coordinated all migrant placements with counties and lived up to agreements, but acknowledged he would investigate the specific status of the Dutchess County situation. Adams defended his shelter expansion despite criticism from Assemblyman Colton, who cited Department of Investigation findings of nepotism and exorbitant salaries in shelter operations. Colton noted shelter costs have reached $4-6 billion annually, with some projections reaching $8 billion. Adams did not directly address the corruption allegations but emphasized the city's efforts to close 33 shelter sites and move 180,000 people out of shelters. On criminal justice, Adams acknowledged the Rikers Island closure plan is "flawed," stating the four replacement jails will not house the current inmate population and that 51 percent of inmates have mental health issues requiring a state-of-the-art psychiatric facility. He called for a comprehensive rethinking of the $16 billion plan. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano testified that his city faces education funding disparities, with taxpayers paying more per pupil than comparable municipalities while receiving less state aid. He requested implementation of a Regional Cost Index that would provide $65 million in additional funding, noting Yonkers has a 90 percent graduation rate despite resource constraints. Adams also addressed cannabis enforcement, acknowledging that hemp licensing loopholes prevent city inspections of illegal cannabis sales, and committed to working with the Legislature on modifications to close enforcement gaps. Five New York State mayors testified before the joint legislative budget committee on February 4, 2025, presenting a unified message about municipal fiscal crises driven by declining revenues, rising pension and healthcare costs, and the end of federal pandemic relief funding. The mayors requested increased state Aid to Municipalities (AIM) funding, with Rochester Mayor Malik Evans seeking a $32.7 million increase to achieve parity with Buffalo, while Buffalo Mayor Byron Scanlon highlighted that his city's fixed costs have increased $130 million since AIM was last raised in 2012. The testimony revealed structural deficits across major cities: Syracuse faces a $20 million shortfall, while Yonkers' healthcare costs have nearly tripled from $18,000 to $44,000 per family plan during Mayor Mike Spano's tenure. Assembly Cities Committee Chair Assemblyman Burke pressed the mayors on long-term fiscal sustainability, questioning whether they had plans beyond requesting state aid. Buffalo's Scanlon noted the city is implementing 10 percent departmental budget reductions targeting $25-30 million in savings, while Rochester's Evans emphasized the city did not allocate temporary ARPA funds to ongoing expenses, recognizing they were unsustainable. The mayors also expressed deep concern about potential federal funding cuts, with Yonkers facing a potential $100 million loss and Syracuse noting that 90 refugees in its resettlement program are unable to afford food and rent. Sen. Chris Ryan engaged substantively on housing strategy and childhood poverty, while Mayor Sheehan highlighted Albany's challenge that its inclusionary zoning amendment requiring 60 percent area median income affordability has halted market-rate housing development. The hearing underscored the cascading fiscal pressures on municipalities as federal and state support diminishes while local costs continue to rise. Five major New York city mayors testified before the Joint Legislative Finance Committee on February 4, 2025, painting a stark picture of municipal budget pressures and workforce challenges as they seek increased state aid and policy reforms. The mayors of Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers emphasized a critical shortage of civil service workers, particularly police officers. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan reported that police exam participation has plummeted from 1,000-1,500 historically to just 110 on the last exam. Buffalo Mayor Byron Scanlon cited a 75% reduction in police exam takers. The mayors proposed solutions including raising earning thresholds for retirees, removing age caps for police academy entry, and offering bonus points on civil service exams to local school graduates. Rochester Mayor Malik Evans highlighted the city's $32.7 million AIM (Aid to Municipalities) funding gap needed to achieve parity with similar upstate cities—a gap that dwarfs last year's $5 million increase. Sen. Brouk, representing Rochester, pressed Evans on the disparity, noting the city's historical challenges including redlining and the Inner Loop's devastation of Black and brown communities. Lead water line replacement emerged as a shared priority. Syracuse Mayor Evan Walsh reported 14,000 service lines needing replacement, with plans to replace 3,000 next year. All five mayors said they are on track to meet the EPA's 2034 deadline, cobbling together ARPA funds, state dollars, and federal infrastructure money. However, Albany Mayor Sheehan warned that federal reimbursement uncertainty poses a "big threat." Affordable housing and economic development also dominated discussion. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano noted his city has built over 10,000 housing units in a decade, exceeding its 10% affordable requirement by achieving 22%. Syracuse Mayor Walsh highlighted a shortage of nearly 600 hotel rooms and called for Empire State Development to provide more support for hotel projects. Sen. Fahy praised the Governor's proposed $400 million capital investment for upstate cities. Sen. May raised concerns about civil service delays, noting that test results in Syracuse take 9-12 months to return, causing candidates to seek jobs elsewhere. Rochester Mayor Evans advocated for direct federal funding to cities, citing ARPA as the most effective model: "The money comes directly to cities. Mayors know how to spend money. They know how to get things done." The hearing underscored persistent tensions between municipal needs and state resources, with mayors seeking both immediate budget relief and systemic reforms to civil service, housing policy, and funding mechanisms. Mayors of New York's five largest cities outside New York City warned state legislators on Tuesday that federal funding cuts and policy uncertainty pose an existential threat to municipal services, while New York City officials detailed billions in proposed cost shifts from state to city in the 2025-2026 Executive Budget. At a joint hearing of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees, mayors from Yonkers, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany identified approximately $100 million to $1 billion in federal funding at risk from proposed Trump administration cuts and freezes. Mayor Mike Spano of Yonkers stated bluntly: "We could never possibly make it up. It's just -- it's not there. We couldn't raise taxes to make it up." The mayors also testified about deferred infrastructure maintenance, with Yonkers facing $1 billion in school infrastructure needs and Buffalo struggling after the elimination of the Joint Schools Construction Board. Mayor Byron Brown noted Buffalo's largest capital budget in history allocated only $55 million to public schools. On immigration, all five mayors praised refugee resettlement programs as economic drivers. Mayor Mindy Walsh noted Syracuse's population grew for the first time in 70 years due to refugee resettlement, while Mayor Byron Brown credited new Americans with Buffalo's first population increase in seven years. However, Mayor Spano cautioned against unilateral cost-shifting, saying New York City's decisions on migrant placement "could have had a devastating effect" on Yonkers' school budget. In the second panel, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander warned of "grave" federal funding risks and proposed a joint city-state emergency task force to evaluate impacts in real-time. He noted that Lutheran Social Services has already seen federal funding frozen due to immigrant support programming. Lander highlighted a $168-214 million operating expense gap for NYC schools to comply with state class size law, growing to $1.28 billion by fiscal 2028. He praised Governor Hochul's affordability initiatives but called for more ambitious childcare expansion, noting that childcare costs remain "the most serious" issue for many New Yorkers. On homelessness, Lander criticized the focus on involuntary commitment without adequate housing solutions, proposing the Housing Access Voucher Program, which he said works 70-90 percent of the time. NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, represented by Councilmember Justin Brannan, detailed several proposed cost shifts: a permanent $165 million annual increase in the city's MTA paratransit contribution, elimination of $56.7 million in state payments to public hospitals, and the state's policy taking $343 million annually in FMAP savings from the city. The council also urged the state to lift caps on shelter cost contributions, noting the state currently funds less than 5 percent of the city's homeless services budget. On education, Brannan said the proposed Foundation Aid formula changes would result in NYC schools missing out on $350 million compared to the current formula. He urged the state to increase weights for students in temporary housing, foster care, and with disabilities. Chairman Pretlow expressed alarm about federal threats, noting that President Trump issued an executive order to shut down the Education Department. "If the education goes down, I think the whole state's going to collapse," he said, warning that loss of Title I funding and school meal programs would be nearly impossible to replace at the state level. NEW YORK — New York City's comptroller and city council finance chair testified before state legislators on Tuesday about significant accountability gaps in the city's $2.4 billion migrant services spending, raising fresh questions about how the money has been deployed and whether the state should continue funding the program without stricter oversight. Comptroller Brad Lander told the Senate Finance Committee that the city has spent substantially more than the $2.4 billion appropriated last year on shelter and services for asylum seekers, but lacks clear documentation of where much of that money went. He revealed that the city wrote down nearly $500 million in claimed prior-year spending that "couldn't fully document," and detailed a $432 million no-bid emergency contract with DocGo where auditors could not document 80 percent of invoices. "When we put that audit forward, they could not document about 80 percent of the invoices," Lander said. The DocGo contract was eventually canceled, with a portion transferred to Jewish Family Services of Western New York. Assemblyman Ari Brown pressed Lander on why the comptroller's office couldn't answer basic questions about how much of the $4.3 billion the state says it will reimburse has actually been paid back to the city. "You're the comptroller," Brown said. "Why don't you know?" Lander acknowledged the Adams administration has "mismanaged many of these contracts" but defended continued state funding, arguing the city will spend roughly $2.5 billion next year on asylum seeker services and that providing shelter is a commitment New York City makes. He called for the Legislature to condition future funding on transparency, documented outcomes, and competitive bidding. City Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan said the city supports the state's $3 billion increase in TFA emergency financing capacity, which was tied to a $3 billion commitment to the MTA. However, Sen. John Liu expressed skepticism about using emergency financing mechanisms for non-emergency purposes, questioning whether the city is approaching its statutory debt ceiling. Both officials highlighted systemic problems in city government, including delayed payments to nonprofits, slow construction projects, and failures in mental health services. Lander noted that fewer than 15 percent of people with serious mental illness released from Rikers who need supportive housing actually receive it, citing the case of Ramon Rivera, who killed three New Yorkers after being released to a shelter with no support. Brannan said the city needs at least 500 forensic psychiatric beds but the Governor's proposal includes only 100. He also raised concerns about potential federal cuts to environmental programs, noting the Department of Environmental Protection alone faces a $35 million cut. The hearing, held Feb. 4 before the Senate Finance Committee, underscored growing legislative frustration with the city's inability to provide clear accounting of migrant services spending and outcomes, even as officials request continued state support. NEW YORK — Local government officials testified before the state Legislature on Wednesday that while they appreciate the first unrestricted aid increase in 15 years, significantly more state support is needed to address mounting infrastructure, workforce, and service delivery challenges amid growing federal funding uncertainty. The joint hearing on the 2025-2026 Executive Budget revealed deep concerns about unfunded mandates, inadequate infrastructure investment, and the vulnerability of local budgets to federal policy changes. NYC Comptroller Brad Lander highlighted a $60 million annual funding gap created when the Cuomo administration reduced Article VI healthcare coverage for New York City from 36% to 20% in 2019—a disparity that persists today. "That's a very, very scary place for us to be in," said NYC Council Member Eric Brannan, noting that approximately 10% of the city's budget comes from federal funding, making it vulnerable to Washington policy shifts. Representatives from the Conference of Mayors, Association of Towns, and Association of Counties all called for dedicated funding streams for water and sewer infrastructure, increased transportation funding, and civil service reforms to address workforce shortages. Christopher Koetzle of the Association of Towns noted that towns have lost $1.4 billion in AIM funding since 2011 due to inflation and maintain 63% of the state's roads while spending $1.8 billion annually on transportation—yet CHIPS funding is not keeping pace with actual costs. The testimony revealed significant funding disparities. The Town of Amherst, with a population of 130,000, receives $660,000 in AIM funding, while the City of Albany, with 100,000 residents, receives nearly $13 million. Similarly, identical properties on the same block in Mount Vernon and the Bronx face annual property tax differences of $10,000 due to outdated valuations. A major point of contention emerged over the Governor's proposal to designate emergency medical services as essential. While local officials support the designation, they warned that without state funding, the unfunded mandate would force towns to provide services under the tax cap, potentially shattering it. Towns spent $142 million on ambulance services in 2023, an 18% increase over five years. Assemblyman Pretlow pressed Comptroller Lander on property tax reform, arguing that comprehensive revaluation and reform could solve many municipal budget problems. Lander agreed, noting that many neighborhoods, including his own, are significantly undertaxed relative to home values. The hearing underscored a broader anxiety about federal policy uncertainty. Chairwoman Liz Krueger praised the Governor's proposal for an emergency task force to coordinate state-local responses to federal changes, calling it "critical" for the state to work with cities, counties, and towns to develop rapid response mechanisms. Local officials also requested increases in the County Infrastructure Fund (from $50 million to $100 million), dedicated water and sewer funding, $40 million for municipal recycling programs, and civil service reforms to address recruitment challenges for public defenders, prosecutors, and mental health professionals. The testimony made clear that while the $50 million in unrestricted aid was welcomed, it represents only a first step in addressing 15 years of stagnant funding and mounting service demands. Local government officials testified before the New York State Legislature's Finance Committee on February 4, 2025, pressing lawmakers for increased funding and structural reforms to address infrastructure crises, property tax burdens, and inequitable state funding formulas. Stephen Acquario of the New York State Association of Counties, Chris Koetzle of the New York State Association of Towns, and Barbara Van Epps of the Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials painted a stark picture of municipalities struggling under unfunded state mandates and aging infrastructure. Koetzle detailed the crisis facing towns: property taxes now rival mortgage payments for young homebuyers, water systems are failing at accelerating rates, and PFOA contamination will require billions in cleanup costs. The Town of Glenville alone faces a $22 million water plant upgrade plus an additional $8 million for PFOA filtration systems. The officials sought formula-based funding programs rather than competitive grants, which they characterized as burdensome for small municipalities with limited administrative capacity. Acquario requested $250 million for a county infrastructure program modeled on the successful CHIPS road-funding formula. Koetzle advocated for a similar water infrastructure program, noting that the State Comptroller estimates several billion dollars will be needed to maintain New York's roads over the next 20 years. On emergency services, Koetzle strongly opposed state pressure to shift EMS to county control, arguing that 95 percent of town officials prefer local response times and control. He also criticized the state's approach to IDAs, saying towns should have a say when county industrial development agencies give away town tax revenue. Chairwoman Liz Krueger posed a pointed challenge to the panel, expressing frustration with 23 years of failed state initiatives and asking whether local governments could collectively propose a better funding model that achieves equity across counties, cities, towns, and villages. She noted that some counties share sales tax with towns while others don't, creating arbitrary disparities. Sen. Chris Ryan, drawing on his own town government experience, engaged extensively on grant program barriers and expressed openness to alternative mechanisms like tax cap credits for efficiency savings. The hearing underscored tensions between state policy goals—particularly housing and environmental compliance—and local governments' capacity to implement them without adequate resources. Local government officials testified before the New York State Legislature on February 4 that unfunded state mandates are crippling counties' ability to provide services and lower property taxes, with county representatives claiming that approximately 85 percent of county budgets are consumed by state-mandated programs while counties send $14 billion annually to Albany. Steve Acquario, representing the New York State Association of Counties, told lawmakers that Medicaid alone costs counties $8 billion per year and that the state's interception of enhanced federal Medicaid assistance (eFMAP) funds has cost counties over $1 billion. He noted that eight counties breached the state property tax cap this year—the first time that has occurred—and attributed the breach partly to the eFMAP funding holdback. "We are buried in unfunded mandates and it's crippling our ability to innovate locally," Acquario said, adding that counties would commit to dollar-for-dollar property tax reductions if the state fully funded mandated programs. Chris Koetzle of the New York Association of Towns highlighted that 63 percent of roads in New York State are town roads and advocated for formula-based funding for sewers and better sales tax sharing. He opposed county takeover of emergency medical services, arguing that towns should retain control over their own resources. Barbara Van Epps of the New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials emphasized the lack of comprehensive data on EMS coverage gaps and called for a countywide or regional approach to identifying service deficiencies. She also noted that cities provide homelessness services 24/7 while resources often flow to counties. Several senators pressed witnesses on the burden of unfunded mandates. Sen. Tom Walczyk questioned how counties could lower property taxes when 85 percent of their budgets are mandated, while Sen. Tom O'Mara explored potential changes to Medicaid policy under the Trump administration. Assemblyman Burke raised concerns about rail infrastructure, noting that travel from Buffalo to Albany is slower in 2024 than it was in 1924, and called for investment in high-speed rail to support regional economic development. The hearing also addressed housing policy, with several legislators expressing support for the Governor's proposal to restrict hedge fund ownership of private housing stock and asking about state support for municipal infrastructure and grant navigation. NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE HEARS COMPETING PRIORITIES ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING, ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IN 2025-2026 BUDGET HEARING Local government officials and election reform advocates testified before the New York State Legislature's joint Finance Committee hearing on February 4, 2025, presenting sharply different funding priorities for the 2025-2026 Executive Budget. Local government representatives testified that unfunded state mandates are crippling municipal budgets. Town of Glenville official Chris Koetzle said new MS4 environmental regulations alone will force his town to hire 3-4 new employees at significant cost. County officials reported even steeper challenges: Steve Acquario testified that mental health competency evaluation costs have skyrocketed 3,000 percent in some counties after the state shifted funding responsibility from a 50-50 partnership to counties bearing 75-100 percent of costs. Mayors identified Scaffold Law, prevailing wage requirements, and design-build restrictions as key mandates hurting economic development. Koetzle committed to developing a comprehensive Local Government Modernization and Efficiency Act. Election officials and democracy advocates urged full funding for election infrastructure and campaign finance reform. Dustin Czarny, chair of the Elections Commissioner Association, requested reappropriation of poll book grants, noting that electronic voting equipment purchased in 2019 is becoming incompatible with new iOS systems. He emphasized that New York is one of few states without annual election funding. Election reform groups presented data supporting the Public Campaign Finance Program. Marina Pino of the Brennan Center for Justice reported that in the program's first cycle, small in-district donations jumped from 5 percent to 45 percent of campaign funding, with 70 percent of legislative candidates participating. The Executive Budget allocates $114.5 million for the program. Erica Smitka of the League of Women Voters reported that the cost per voter has nearly doubled from $15 in 2016 to $28 in 2024, and requested minimum $10 million in direct funding for county boards of elections. She also highlighted that only 11 of 57 counties surveyed have programs allowing detained voters to cast ballots. Sen. Alexis Weik pressed local officials on eliminating antiquated mandates, while newly appointed Senate Elections Chair Kris Gonzalez focused on emerging threats including AI-generated misinformation and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Susan Lerner of Common Cause New York warned of unprecedented federal government threats to election administration and urged a state-local working group to anticipate budget gaps. Chairwoman Krueger referenced her own bill limiting private equity home purchases, signaling legislative interest in housing affordability alongside election funding priorities. New York State legislators heard testimony on Tuesday that the proposed 2025-2026 budget for election administration is insufficient to meet growing demands on county boards of elections, with witnesses calling for additional state funding to replace aging voting equipment and increase poll worker compensation. The hearing before the Senate Finance Committee focused on the Governor's proposed $142 million budget for the State Board of Elections—a $23.5 million decrease from the previous year. County election officials testified that 38 of New York's 62 counties are operating voting machines over 15 years old and that boards of elections remain among the least-funded county departments. "We will always welcome more funds," said Dustin Czarny, a county elections commissioner and Democratic caucus chair. "Very few county boards of elections are 100 percent covered at this point." Assemblyman Jacobson proposed an additional $30 million in state funding, split between equipment replacement and staffing increases. The hearing also revealed sharp partisan disagreement over voter ID requirements. Assemblyman Slater noted that 36 states require voter identification at polls and questioned why New York has not adopted similar measures, citing constituent concerns about election integrity. But Susan Lerner of Common Cause countered that voter ID laws contain provisions that suppress voting, pointing to Texas's acceptance of gun licenses but rejection of student IDs. "There is no widespread voter fraud affecting the vote," Lerner said. Senator Walczyk pressed the point, citing polling showing 87% of Americans support voter ID and two-thirds lack faith in elections. He also challenged panelists on special election timelines, emphasizing that Congressional seats represent 760,000 New Yorkers and should not remain vacant. Lerner advocated instead for consolidating special elections to reduce voter burnout and increase turnout. Chairwoman Krueger suggested that consolidating elections could simultaneously save money, increase voter participation, and address concerns about campaign finance spending. "If we have fewer elections per year, will we not save a significant amount of money?" she asked. Election officials also highlighted infrastructure needs beyond voting equipment. They discussed cybersecurity upgrades, poll worker training enhancements, and the need for higher poll worker compensation—many counties pay minimum wage. Assemblyman Dais proposed $2.5 million annually for a census office in the Secretary of State's office, noting that New York lost a congressional seat in the last census by only 89 people and faces potential loss of two more seats by 2030. The hearing underscored tensions between election security and accessibility, and between funding needs and budget constraints, as lawmakers prepare to finalize the state budget. NEW YORK — A joint legislative budget hearing on local government officials concluded with testimony focused on voting procedures and paper ballot access in New York State elections. The hearing, held Feb. 4 before the Senate Finance Committee, featured discussion of current early voting practices and proposed legislation to expand paper ballot options to Election Day voting. Mr. Czarny, testifying on voting procedures, stated that paper ballots are currently allowed in early voting in nearly every county outside New York City but are not explicitly permitted by state law on Election Day, though some jurisdictions have experimented with the practice. He referenced a bill that would explicitly authorize paper ballots on Election Day. Chairman Pretlow expressed strong support for paper ballot requirements, citing concerns about touchscreen voting systems that lack physical records of voter choices. "I don't like this touchscreen and there's no record of how people voted other than a number," Pretlow said, describing a scenario where voters could receive ballots reflecting their specific district and representatives. Ms. Lerner, testifying in support of the legislation, attempted to recruit Pretlow to cosponsor the bill, with the chairman indicating openness to the proposal. "Come talk to me," Pretlow responded, suggesting the measure has potential support among committee leadership. The hearing concluded at 7:01 p.m., with Chairwoman Krueger announcing that the committee would reconvene at 9:30 a.m. the following day for hearings on mental health and OPWDD/OASAS matters.