New York legislators approve $229B budget, delayed by a month

New York State legislators approved a $229 billion budget on Tuesday night, one month behind schedule. The budget aims to raise the minimum wage, modify bail laws, and implement new anti-pollution measures. Despite Democratic control of both the Senate and Assembly, disagreements on specific policy details prolonged the budget negotiation process. Although Governor Hochul's ambitious housing plan was withdrawn and her push to increase the cap on charter schools fell short, the approved budget does raise the minimum wage in New York City to $17, with future increases tied to inflation, and grants judges greater discretion in setting bail for serious crime defendants. The budget also contains climate initiatives, such as the banning of fossil fuel systems in new buildings, and several additional proposals, including granting law enforcement more authority over illegal marijuana shops and allocating more funding to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. In light of the approval, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins praised the budget for addressing key concerns and expressed optimism for its impact on future prosperity.