Deal Reached on $212 Billion NYS Budget

The New York State Legislature now starts voting on individual lines in the 2021 state budget as Governor Andrew Cuomo and Legislative Leaders came to agreement on a spending plan over six days past the deadline.

The $212-billion deal spends a record amount on school aid and infrastructure upgrades, including expanded broadband, legalizes mobile sports betting and provides a billion dollars in COVID relief for small businesses, arts, entertainment and restaurants.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie April 6 announced the agreement would spend $3- billion dollars more in aid to schools for a total of $29.5-billion, $29-billion on public and private green economy investments, $2.9-billion for homeowner and rent relief, a plan for affordable broadband internet, legalizing mobile sports betting and putting in place a blueprint for nursing home reform while closing the deficit fueled by last year’s pandemic and offering COVID 19 small business recovery grants, $25-million to support restaurants that provide meals to distressed and under-represented communities, up to $35-million in return-to-work tax credits for restaurants struggling to recover from pandemic shutdowns and restrictions and financial support for musical and theatrical productions outside of New York City as well as separate tax credits for productions in the Big Apple.

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The missed deadline may mean a delay of a day or two for some New York State government workers in getting paid but officials have said those who use direct deposit should not see any impact from the budget being late.