Cuomo, Legislature

Approve $102 Billion

F20 Budget Overnight

HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS

2% Tax Cap Permanent

School Aid Up $1 Billion

Plastic Bags Are Banned

Limousine Law Tougher

Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ALBANY – The state today has a 2019-2020 budget agreement that makes the 2 percent property tax cap permanent, and adds $1 billion to education funding.

Other notable components include tougher regulations on limos after the 20-fatality crash in Schoharie County, a ban plastic bags in supermarkets, public financing of elections and three hours off for all New Yorkers on Election Day so they can vote.

Governor Cuomo, who announced the agreement at 11:46 p.m. Saturday along with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, said it achieves his three non-negotiables:  “the permanent property tax cap, criminal justice reform and an MTA overhaul including Central Business District Tolling.”  The latter will require drivers to pay a congestion fee to enter Manhattan.

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In a five-page press release, the Governor’s Office identified these “spending highlights”:

• Total State Operating Funds: $102.1 billion; 2 percent growth
• School Aid: $27.9 billion; 3.8 percent growth
• State Medicaid/Health Spending: $19.6 billion; 3.6 percent growth

Spending for the next budget year, FY 2020, is $175.5 billion.

Here are details and other programmatic highlights:

• Permanent 2% Property Tax Cap:It will build on $25 billion in taxpayer savings since Cuomo implement it in 2012.
• Of the $1 billion in school aid, 70 percent is targeted for poorer school districts.
• In reaction to the limousine crash that killed 20 people in Schoharie County, making it a class E felony to knowingly operate an unsafe limo, and allowing police to immediately pull plates if a limo is found to be unsafe
• Internet Sales Tax on Amazon and other out-of-state companies on sales inside New York, this is expected to raise perhaps $1/2 billion in revenues, and level the playing with local stores.
• Central Business District Tolling in Manhattan south of 60^th Street, to be implemented Dec. 31, 2020, once details are worked out.
• A Progressive Mansion Tax, a 4.15 percent levy on sale of properties of $25 million or more.
• Public campaign financing of up to $100 million, as determined by a new public-financing commission.
• Codification of the federal Affordable Care Act and Health Exchange into state law, so no matter what happens at the federal level, the provisions are protected in New York State.
• Banning of single-use plastic bags are banned, and an option for cities and counties charge a 5-cent fee on paper bags.
• Three hours of paid time off for all New Yorkers to vote on Election Day.
• The Jose R. Peralta DREAM Act a Reality, allowing undocumented students to qualify for state programs to attended college.