State leaders announce budget deal

The governor and state legislative leaders early this morning announced agreement on a state budget for fiscal year 2020.

The $175.5 billion budget deal includes a permanent 2-percent property tax cap, an additional $1 billion in education funding, tolls on Manhattan streets and criminal justice reforms.

The budget does not include the governor’s proposal to legalize the recreational use and sale of marijuana.

School aid is boosted 3.8 percent over the current year, to $27.9 billion — up about $200 million from the governor’s proposal. School aid funding levels for individual districts were not immediately available.

The budget also authorizes a “central business district tolling program,” which will include
the installation of electronic tolling devices on the perimeter of streets south of 60th Street in Manhattan. Tolls will be variable and passenger vehicles will only be charged once per day. The implementation day will not be before Dec. 31, 2020.

This tolling program will leverage $15 billion, officials said. The budget creates a dedicated lockbox to ensure that 100 percent of this revenue goes to the MTA capital budget and prohibits the use of these revenues for non-capital spending.

The program will be established, operated, and maintained by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, working closely with the New York City Department of Transportation for installation. A six-member Traffic Mobility Review Board will be established by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority to advise on tolls, exemptions, and credits to ultimately be determined by the authority based on recommendations from the review board.

The budget includes criminal justice reform measures, among them: eliminating cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies and requiring police to issue desk appearance tickets for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies.

“These reforms will ensure approximately 90 percent of people charged, but not yet convicted of a crime, are not sitting in jail awaiting trial solely because they do not have the economic resources to meet bail,” the governor’s press release said.

The budget deal includes a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags. It allows counties and cities to opt in to a 5-cent fee on paper bags, with 40 percent of the revenue supporting local programs to buy reusable bags for low- and fixed-income consumers and 60 percent of the revenue supporting programs in the State’s Environmental Protection Fund.

It also codifies the Affordable Care Act and Health Exchange into Law. The codification of key ACA provisions and the New York State Health Exchange into law ensures that no matter what happens at the federal level, these key provisions are protected in New York State, the governor said.

The budget package includes new regulations on the limousine industry, including a ban on U-turns by stretch limos.

Other budget deal highlights

Implements Public Campaign Finance: The FY 2020 Enacted Budget establishes a public financing commission that will have the binding power to implement public campaign financing for legislative and statewide offices, authorizing up to $100 million annually in public funds. The commission will determine specific aspects of the public financing system, including eligibility thresholds, public financing limits, and contribution limits for participating candidates. The commission’s findings will be due in a report by Dec. 1, 2019 and will be binding unless modified by law within 20 days.

Extends the Women’s Agenda: The Enacted Budget mandates coverage for in-vitro fertilization and egg-freezing, establishes rape shield protections for victims of sex trafficking, reforms domestic violence shelter requirements, and invests $26 million in child care to maintain the market rate for districts outside of New York City.

Expands Janus Protections: The Enacted Budget provides new safeguards for public sector unions and goes further by extending Janus protections to all local governments in New York and guaranteeing the right to organize and collectively bargain.

Enacts the Democracy Agenda: Building upon voting reform passed within the first 10 weeks of the legislative session, additional legislation mandating three hours of paid time off for all New Yorkers to vote on Election Day, enacting online voter registration, funding e-poll books, and expanding upstate voting hours to begin at 6 a.m. are being enacted as part of this year’s Budget, and includes $10 million for early voting.

Invests in Clean Drinking Water: The FY 2020 Budget will invest an additional $500 million in clean water infrastructure, building on the State’s historic $2.5 billion investment.

Expands Eligibility for the Excelsior Scholarship Free Tuition Program: As the state’s successful free tuition program enters its third year, SUNY and CUNY students whose families make up to $125,000 annually will now be eligible to apply for tuition-free college.

Regulates Limos: Enacts new regulations for the limo industry making it a class E felony for knowingly operating a limo where such operation causes the death of another person, creating heightened civil penalties — including higher fines — for operating without State Department of Transportation operating authority or violating DOT safety regulations. Additionally, State Police and DOT will have new authority to retrieve vehicle plates when limos are out of compliance. The Department of Motor Vehicles will be able to refuse and revoke registrations for limos that do not meet federal safety standards. Stretch limos will be prohibited from making U-turns. Commercial vehicles with a seating capacity of eight or more passengers will be required to carry increased insurance of at least $1.5 million in coverage.

Makes the Jose R. Peralta DREAM Act a Reality: First passed by the Legislature earlier this year, the Enacted Budget implements and fully funds the Jose R. Peralta DREAM Act for $27 million.

Supports a Complete Census Count: This year’s budget authorizes up to $20 million for FY 2020 for outreach and education efforts to ensure all New Yorkers are counted as part of the census.

Ensures Source of Income Protections: New Yorkers who receive some form of lawful source of income including non-wage income or subsidies will now be protected against discrimination in housing. All New Yorkers, including but not limited to, certain domestic violence survivors, veterans, and disabled individuals will be able to file complaints through the New York State Division of Human Rights if they have been discriminated against because of their lawful source of income.

Renews Record Funding for the Environmental Protection Fund: The Enacted Budget includes record funding of $300 million, the highest level of funding in the program’s history.