New York’s $254 Billion Budget: A Ticking Time Bomb or a Step Forward?

This year’s New York state budget, totaling approximately $254 billion, has raised significant concerns about the state’s financial trajectory and the process through which it was passed. Critics, including Senator Joe Griffo, have argued that the budget was negotiated behind closed doors with little public transparency or scrutiny, and passed through a process that many see as flawed.

Senator Griffo stated, “This year’s state budget – the latest in 15 years, negotiated behind closed doors with no transparency or public scrutiny and then passed through a bad process – is an example of the perils of one-party control and no checks and balances in Albany.” He emphasized the lack of meaningful oversight, which he claims has led to dysfunction in the state Capitol.

The 2025 budget, with an increase of approximately $11 billion over last year’s spending, is a source of contention. Critics, including Griffo, highlight that New York’s total budget now exceeds the combined operating costs of Florida and Texas, despite New York having a smaller population. “At a time when most New Yorkers and their families are tightening their belts, changing their lifestyles and making tough choices because of financial difficulties, the Democratic majorities continue to spend at unsustainable levels,” Griffo said.

While some aspects of the budget have been praised, such as funding for libraries, infrastructure improvements, and free breakfast and lunch programs for schools, Griffo points to troubling elements in the budget. He specifically criticizes the use of taxpayer dollars for personal legal fees of public officials. “Utilize taxpayer dollars to pay personal legal fees for public officials… these are actions that the people of New York deserve to be heard on,” Griffo remarked.

The state’s spending continues to rise while residents struggle with high costs of living. Griffo and others argue that one-time payments included in the budget, while helpful, do not provide lasting relief. “There was little meaningful relief in this budget, and it does not adequately address the critical economic, affordability and public safety challenges facing our state. One-time payments are insufficient. People deserve a break all the time, not just one time,” Griffo said.

Furthermore, the budget has been criticized for a lack of equity. “Most of the resources in it will be sent downstate to address needs there, while upstate communities will have to try to do more with less,” Griffo noted. He also pointed out the complications faced by school districts, which were told to base their budgets on the governor’s projected numbers, only to see cuts in their final aid figures. “This is unprecedented and will create challenges for these districts just weeks before they put their own budgets up for vote,” he added.

Another major concern raised by Griffo is the potential for New Yorkers to leave the state due to the financial challenges exacerbated by this budget. “As a result of this budget, we will see more and more New Yorkers flee the state for better opportunities elsewhere because they can’t afford to live or do business here,” Griffo stated. He criticized the fiscal policies, which he believes could worsen the state’s already precarious economic position.

On the subject of criminal justice reforms, Griffo acknowledges the need for change but suggests that the changes included in the budget were too minimal. He expressed frustration with what he described as weak attempts at reform, including watered-down tweaks to the discovery process. “The tweaks that were made to discovery were so watered down that they will not make a difference and other so-called criminal justice ‘fixes’ are toothless,” he said.

Ultimately, Griffo and others argue that important policy decisions should be made outside of the budget process, where there is greater opportunity for transparency and debate. “It would have been much more beneficial to consider these and other policy items outside of the budget – not jammed into thousand-page budget bills that legislators were forced to vote on shortly after reading them for the first time,” Griffo said.

Looking ahead, Griffo called for a change in direction. “New York is in desperate need of a change in direction. The current one is not working. The tax-and-spend approach of the majorities has left the state in a perilous financial position and projected to face significant structural budget deficits in the coming years, with a poor business climate and less economic opportunities and with hundreds of thousands of less residents.”

Griffo reiterated his commitment to proposing and supporting policies that would strengthen the state’s economy, improve public safety, and make New York more affordable. “As I have always done, I will continue to propose, support and advocate for common sense solutions, policies and initiatives that will enhance and strengthen our economy and communities and make the state safer and more affordable,” he concluded.

While the budget includes both positives and negatives, the ongoing debate over New York’s fiscal direction continues, with many calling for more transparency, less spending, and a focus on long-term economic solutions.