News

April 6, 2015

Passage of the 2015-16 New York State Budget

Passage of the 2015-16 New York State Budget

We commend Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature for adoption of the 2015-2016 New York State Budget totaling approximately $142 billion by the April 1st deadline. From a broad perspective, the budget agreement includes language for education and ethics reforms as well as funding for upstate economic revitalization, statewide broadband, education, infrastructure and public housing. Highlights of the budget agreement include: Major investment in education with a 6.1% increase in funding, our largest commitment ever to schools A 9-point Education Transformation Act of 2015 that overhauls the state’s education system from beginning to end Extensive ethics reform package that includes the strongest outside income disclosure laws for legislators in the nation $1.5 billion to jumpstart upstate economic development through our Upstate Revitalization Initiative $500 million to ensure that every New Yorker has broadband access by the end of 2018 A new Get On Your Feet student loan forgiveness program to provide relief to college graduates with high debt An economic mobility agenda that helps give every New Yorker a chance to succeed You can see the full agenda agreement here