Listen: http://wamc.org/post/blair-horner-budget-battle-begins

The New York State budget fight begins this week with the governor offering his budget plan.  The governor’s budget will be massive – probably $135 billion of spending.  Over 95 percent of it will become law without much fuss.

The budget is really about two things: spending, and the policies that trigger that spending.  The budget includes two sets of bills – bills to set spending limits and bills that propose policy changes that are necessary for the governor’s proposed spending.  How the budget battle plays out will likely hinge on whether – and to what extent – the legislature agrees with the governor’s proposed spending and with his policy initiatives.

If state spending levels are maintained and adjusted for increased costs, New York is facing a $1.7 billion deficit.  The governor maintains that his budget will turn that into a surplus big enough to fund tax cuts worth $2 billion. Read the rest of this entry »