Cuomo’s budget director expects spending plan to come together by Thursday

(The Center Square) – New York state Budget Director Robert Mujica said Wednesday that he expects a deal with legislators on a budget to be wrapped up by Thursday.

Mujica told Spectrum News’ Pat Kiernan that negotiations between the sides has been “seamless” even with multiple investigations hanging over the Cuomo Administration and a recent positive COVID test for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx.

The year-long pandemic has added some layers to talks that haven’t been in place in other years. For example, most of the talks have been done through calls rather than across tables.

“It’s no different than any other budget year, except this is probably one of the most complicated budgets in my career, and I’ve been doing this for over 20 years,” he said.

According to the state’s constitution lawmakers must approve the spending plan by April 1.

One big budget step took place late Tuesday when the Legislature approved a measure legalizing recreational marijuana. That’s a measure is expected to bring in $350 million, although retail dispensaries are not expected to open in the state until next year.

The work that remains is getting to a consensus on how much new revenue is created and what COVID-19 recovery projects are included.

“I think everyone’s focus is the recovery and making sure that we fund the items to help New Yorkers, at the same time striking a balance so that we don’t reach a tipping point where instead of helping with the recovery we’re actually harming it,” Mujica said.

Mujica said officials don’t really know what that “tipping point” is, but it has to do with raising revenue while not dampening job growth or keeping people from wanting to come back to New York.

Last week, Mujica told reporters that federal stimulus funding plus faster than expected recovery meant there would not be a need for “significant” tax increases.

There are other ways for the state to raise revenue, and one possibility that remains is through expanded gaming. Both lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have proposed expanding sports betting in the state to allow for mobile wagering. However, both sides offered significantly different approaches, and it appears as of Wednesday morning, there’s uncertainty about its inclusion in the budget.

“I feel there is a 50/50 chance that it will get done in the budget,” Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Chairman Joseph Addabbo Jr., D-Queens, said in a statement through his spokesperson.

Addabbo has also pushed for expediting the licensing process for up to three downstate casinos in an attempt to create jobs and bringing millions in revenue through licensing fees and gaming taxes. The Senate’s budget proposal also calls for existing racinos at Yonkers Raceway and Aqueduct to get a slight preference for a casino resort license. That would allow those venues to expand operations, including adding table games.

The Assembly, though, has not included that in its proposal, and the executive budget only called for a request-for-information solicitation to determine interest in those licenses.

At the present time, the downstate licenses cannot be awarded until 2023, a move meant to help New York’s upstate casino resorts establish themselves.

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