New York State SmartTranscripts:

[Speaker 0]: The senate will come to order. Ask everyone present to please rise and recite the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. In the absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a moment of silent reflection or prayer.

[Secretary/Reading Clerk of the Senate]: Reading of the journal. In senate, Wednesday, 03/25/2026, the senate met pursuant to adjournment. The journal of Tuesday, 03/24/2026 was read and approved. A motion to senate adjourn. With that objection, the

[Speaker 0]: journal stands approved as read. Presentation of petitions, messages from the assembly, messages from the governor, report to standing committees, report to select committees, communications reports from state offices, motions and resolutions. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Good morning, mister president. Good morning. We're gonna begin with an immediate meeting of the finance committee, Room 332.

[Speaker 0]: There'll be an immediate meeting of the finance committee, Room 332.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Senator Sanadis.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Sanadis. Turn to order. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Mister president, there's a report of the finance committee at the desk. Let's take that up, please.

[Secretary/Reading Clerk of the Senate]: Secretary Read. Senator Kruger from the Committee on Finance reports the following bill. Senate Print 9002 a Budget Bill Enact making appropriations for the legal requirements of the state debt service.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Move to accept the report of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 0]: All those in favor of accepting the report of the Finance Committee, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed nay. The report of the the report of the finance committee is accepted. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Please pick up the supplemental calendar.

[Speaker 0]: Secretary will read.

[Secretary/Reading Clerk of the Senate]: Calendar number 657, senate print 9002 a, budget bill enact making appropriations for the legal requirements of the state debt service.

[Speaker 0]: Lay it it aside. Senator Generis, that completes the reading of the supplemental calendar.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Please go to the reading of the controversial calendar.

[Speaker 0]: Secretary will ring the bell. Secretary will read.

[Secretary/Reading Clerk of the Senate]: Calendar number 657, senate print nine thousand two a, budget bill. Some order, please. Enact making appropriates for the legal requirements of the state debt service.

[Speaker 0]: Senator O'Mara, why do you rise?

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Thank you, mister president. We have the first of 10 budget bills that we anticipate. The other nine are not before us, and not in final form remotely as far as I understand where we are in the budget negotiations. And perhaps, if senator Krueger would yield, we would, I would have some questions for him.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Krueger, it is opening day. Do you yield?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: It is opening day. I yield for for budget questions, not baseball questions.

[Speaker 0]: Well, let's play ball, senator O'Mara. This month, the senator yields. Alright.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Senator, this is the this is the bill to, a very important bill to commit, the state to paying the outstanding debt, that we have, ending our fiscal year and going in to cover our debt service payments for the next fiscal year. What is the, amount of debt total being authorized to that could be appropriated as a result of this bill?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Okay. The debt service appropriations are $14,300,000,000 of which is cash.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Sorry, the last part?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: $3,700,000,000 of which is cash.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Is Cash?

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Oh, cash. I'm sorry. I I couldn't hear you. Thank you. Thank you, mister president. If senator Kruger will continue to yield. Does senator yield?

[Speaker 0]: Senator Kruger yields.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Senator, how does that, amount of debt compared to the end of fiscal year last year that we that actually, the number we had in the debt service bill last year?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: It's approximately the same thing. Cash increase of 1,300,000,000.0 or 57% from last year.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Through you, mister president, if the senate will continue to yield. Sponsor yield?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Yes.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Sponsor yields. How much above, the total, outstanding state related debt, are we approving here that has not already been appropriated?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: So state supported debt outstanding is 61,600,000,000.0 That's from last year. From last year. And 71,800,000,000.0 is estimated for fiscal year twenty seven. But again, as we had a brief discussion about in the finance committee meeting, this bill is designed to complete our obligations for debt service for the coming year on money we've already borrowed and even spent, but also assumes a certain level of increased spending from additional debt taken on in the in the coming year. But we, of course, haven't passed those bills, so we don't actually know whether we would need to borrow that much money. And even though we are recognizing if we borrow that much money based on our estimates of where we will be in our final capital budget, then it will allow us to go forward and borrow based on what we put in our final budget. But if we make a if we have a smaller final capital budget than we are projecting, we won't be borrowing that money. Hence, we won't be taking on that much additional debt, and hence, the money we need to borrow would be lower.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Thank you, senator. Through you, mister president, senator will continue to yield sponsor yield?

[Speaker 0]: Yes. Sponsor

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: yields. Just seems to me, senator, I understand, what you're saying and I certainly understand the importance of paying our our outstanding obligations. But an extra $10,000,000,000 in here that, as you said, we don't know what it's for. Maybe it's gonna come through another budget bill, maybe it isn't. In my opinion, it would be more prudent to pass a bill today on what our outstanding debt obligations are, and then come back and revise this, amend it, which we amend bills all the time here, after we have a finalized capital projects budget.

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Through you, mister president. I agree there are different ways to think about how how we do things, but to some degree, this bill, the way it is written, is making an assumption like if you go out to buy a house and you get pre permission on the mortgage amount from your bank before you've even found the house you might be buying, it gives you the ability to nimbly make an offer and go forward with buying your house because you don't have to start the process then. And I think we all know how long some things take to get done here. Some sometimes things that you think are pretty easy and obvious are not so easy and obvious, particularly when you're dealing with two houses and a governor. So we actually think it is more responsible and prudent to, to some degree, get the mortgage arrangements set up in advance even if we might not take out that mortgage.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Thank you, senator. Mister president, the senator will continue to yield. Will the sponsor yield?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Yes.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: The sponsor yield. Senator, can you give us a basic outline of where we stand, in the budget negotiations with relative to the other nine budget bills and what your anticipated schedule is to complete the budget process?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: If I had a crystal ball, I can assure everyone here we will not have budget bills completed before the April 1 deadline. We are scheduled to be here Monday and Tuesday. There will not be budget bills. We are scheduled to be here at the beginning of Wednesday. There will not be budget bills. And in fact, because it is quote unquote, the beginning of a major Jewish holiday that night, April 1 is Passover, the first night of Passover, I don't believe we will be asked to spend an exceptional amount of time here that day because for many of us, including myself, it will mean not getting home for our first Seder. Then Thursday, the next day is Holy Thursday. Friday is Good Friday. Sunday is Easter. Is there a holiday Saturday? Sorry. No. No. I guess we could come back for Saturday. Oh, wait.

[Speaker 0]: Greek Holy Week Holy Week.

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Oh, Greek we have Greek Holy Week. So I'm predicting we're not likely to be here on anybody's major holidays starting April 1 for multiple days. Then we can come back the next week if called back on the by the governor and continue budget bills. Obviously, much as they would not like to hear this, can be encouraged to be here working even on the on the religious holidays. And I certainly hope we are not going to make anyone work their religious holidays. So that's the best I can offer us right now. All the days we won't be passing the budget, but we will still have it

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: to do. Thank you, senator. Mister president and senator, we'll continue to yield. With the sponsor sponsor yield. Of course. Just so I just so maybe I understand what you what you described. Do you then anticipate us the Monday after Easter being here voting on budget bills or being in session?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: I don't know that I can answer whether I anticipate or not because it's really then up to the governor to decide what kind of schedule she's putting for extenders. We know certain things from past years experience. If you don't get the budget done by April 1, you need to set up a schedule of when you're going to have extender bills ready in both houses to pass so that we, the state of New York, are not failing in our obligations to make sure that our workers get paid or that other bills that must be paid are paid on time because the controller of the state of New York won't pay the workers of New York unless in fact there's an extender saying to do so. Certain bills that come in on a regular basis may not be able to be paid unless there's an extender that includes paying bills for operating costs, even though again this would address capital costs. So I think there's a pretty good chance we would be here at least someday during that week.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Thank you, senator. Mister president, the senator will continue to yield. Will the sponsor yield?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Yes.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: The sponsor yields. As a the fiscal year ends next Wednesday, and and that's the that evening is the start of Passover, and we're gonna be off till some point the next week. We'll need an extender. When when do you anticipate if been discussions with the governor of when that extender will come and what period of time that extender will cover?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: So it is correct that we will be here Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday next week, and the governor can hand us an extender to pass for whatever amount of time she chooses, that I assume we probably would pass. We don't get to drive that action. That has to be a governor handing us an extender to pass.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Do you, mister president, senator, continue to yield with the sponsor yield?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Yes.

[Speaker 0]: The sponsor yields.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Senator, how would you characterize the working together of the two houses and the governor at this point on the outstanding issues? And and what are the major outstanding issues, that are being dealt with?

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Many, mister president. And sometimes I feel like new ones pop up each day. So I'm not totally sure how many are left to be dealt with. Certainly, discussions that we see in the media all the time are concerns about changes to CLCPA, environmental law, fraud issues, and insurance company issues, tier six issues.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Trying to think what

[Senator Dan Stec]: else. Tax issues.

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Oh, taxes. Thank you. Tax issues, local locality issues. If you walk through the halls, you'll see quite a quite a few of our friends from local government who are up here urging us to take certain actions and non actions. Health care financing issues. It's it's a lot of issues, have to say. It's a big deal it's a big deal budget.

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: Thank you, senator. On the bill. Senator O'Mara, on the bill. Mister president, thank you senator Krueger for those. And it it's it's clear and it's not unusual at this at this stage of the budget that there are a lot of unresolved issues. Certainly, we would prefer to have them worked out by the end of the fiscal year, and that would be a more prudent fiscal practice. And it's critically important that, we obligate ourselves to pay the debt services that are coming up after the end of this fiscal year that ends on next Wednesday. And I fully, support, our committing ourselves to that debt service. What I do not support is padding this by an extra $10,000,000,000 for projects that we don't even know what they are yet when we could easily be coming back throughout the rest of the budget process and amending this from just covering what needs to be covered and then amend it to add what then has to be covered out of the new budget, and I think that would be the better way to go. Thank you, mister president.

[Speaker 0]: Thank you, senator O'Mara. Senator Todisco on the bill.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Thank you, mister president. It's good that we have, one part of the budget that we've started today to debt service. That's kind of probably the easiest part of the budget. And I think most of my constituents by this time know because over the years, we've had a lot of late budgets going on. This is a constitutional mandate. Probably the most important thing we do here is put a good, balanced, on time budget for our constituents, which keeps them here and, incentivizes people to come to New York State. And, April 1 is the deadline. I have to tell you, nobody in my district, or I think you'd say this too to a great extent, goes to work, sits there, has their bosses give them a deadline to complete a project, and says to them, I'm definitely not gonna complete that project by the deadline you've given me, and expects to come back and get paid the next day or actually show up because they still have a job. Now over the years, and I think I've been here a while, in fact, than anybody's been in this room. And historically, the media and all of our constituents have been trying to figure out who's in charge of delaying in making us have late budge. Sometimes school districts say, we have to go out and borrow because of where we have school budgets coming up and everything. Who's responsible for the most important constitutional duty we have to put forth? The good balance of the budget and a timely faction, which protects our constituency. And over the years, Democrats have blamed Republicans. Republicans have blamed Democrats. I can tell you this. Our side of the aisle, our conference, we happen to be Republicans, never controlled all levers of power for the number of years I have been here or you have been here. Never. Now you could say we controlled a republican senate, but at that time, you've either got a totally Democratic assembly, and we had George Pataki here one day, but we never had all levers of power. Who is responsible for this budget heading towards, and as defined by a leader in finance, we're gonna be late. Wait a second. It's it's not April 1 yet. When my people are working, they say to the boss, I'm gonna be late. What do you tell me you're gonna be late? You got time left to go. You control all levers of power. You control the senate, one vote shy of a supermajority. Supermajority in the assembly. The governor's your affiliation. You couldn't do a balanced, on time, good budget for your constituents in the timely fashion. You had a whole year. Don't be pointing towards this side of the aisle because you're late with the most important job you're expected to do constitutionally. You know, my dad said to me, most important lesson, he worked in the foundry for thirty years. Most important lesson he gave to me is 90% of success is just showing up and getting the job done when you do. You can't cut and run. You gotta show up and do the job your constituents elected you to do. There's only one figure being pointed towards this lateness. You couldn't get the job done. The media knows it now. Your constituents know it now. We know who are in charge of late budgets. The leader has said it now of finance. It's gonna be late. We're shocked. It's gonna be late. Well, there there's nobody to point towards for not doing your job. How about those conference committees? Aren't they great? I had one. We got a great leader. I love my leader in the conference committee. She's on your side of the aisle. Love working with her. I I was a teacher at one time. I say that a lot. Senator Liu likes to hear me say that. $39,000,000,000, one of the largest parts of the budget. One meeting. I they said, hurry up. Don't say too much in this purpose of conference committees was to engage elected officials, senators, and assembly people to help the governor move forward, whoever was in place, with a balanced budget. Your constituents don't deserve us standing up here a week before the deadline and saying, we can't do it. You're in charge of everything, but you can't do it. Well, now the media knows who can't do it. You control it all. Nobody on this side of the aisle stopped this budget from being on time. Nobody on this side said we're only gonna have one conference committee. I don't know what the other committees, maybe you had two, three. If you really wanna engage yourself, you wouldn't have one meeting. You wouldn't stifle discussion at that one meeting. You would work earlier on time because you control and can do it. I'll be honest, we can't do it. We got a lot of good ideas to keep people in New York. Maybe this is the reason why we're number one in out migration, and I talk about that a lot. If there was ever an indictment on the failure of policies and agendas in late budgets, it's people walking out of the state and voting with their feet. Now, I want the viewers to know this body, the assembly, one party, one affiliation. We were in the majority one time here, but we weren't in control of all levers of power, and there was a difference of agendas and policies. Well, I probably difference with you, but you've gotta settle it because you control all levers and they deserve it when you told them, won't be any more late budgets when we're in charge in all three houses because that darn majority in the senate, those republicans are holding up this thing. Well, that darn majority isn't here anymore, and you didn't get the most important thing you're elected to do done in a timely fashion according to what has been said. So I suggest this, you don't want the staff to go home? We shouldn't go home. You should stay here in Albany. Stay here in Albany because a lot of my constituents work overtime. You know, I I remember my dad two, 03:00 in the morning, he'd come in or they'd call him four or five, 03:00 in the morning. Going to GE, there was an explosion, worked in one of the one of the most difficult conditions you could ever think of. He succumbed to stomach cancer. You know why? Because he sucked up red hot molten steel asbestos, no OSHA regulations, died of stomach cancer. And you talked about that the other day. That was a good bill. I supported that bill. Even now, we don't have enough regulations in that. I don't know what the regulations here. It's not red hot smokes and steel and espeshis in here. It's sunlight. You've had sunlight for over a year to get yourself in place to pass a good on time balanced budget, which your constituents deserve. So the media knows now, the constituents know now, you control it all, baby. Control it all. So don't cut and run. Stay here and get the job done. Thank you, mister president.

[Speaker 0]: Thank you, senator Disco. Senator Walzik on the bill.

[Senator Mark Walczyk]: Thank you, mister president, on the bill. The budget's due in six days. You're bringing us the debt service bill today. This will allow us to pay what we owe and apparently borrow for what we don't know that we owe yet. I wanna read something, mister president. State debt levels and processes have been debated in New York state for many years. New York's high and growing debt burden and its impact on taxpayers have been points of concern for the state's budget practices. Excessive debt also contains efforts to improve the state's credit rating. In recent reviews, Standard and Poor's stated that New York's moderately high and growing debt levels were a factor that would preclude a higher credit rating. Moody's ranks New York as having the second largest total debt burden of all states following California. The major credit rating agencies have also commented on New York's past history of inappropriately using debt to finance operating expenses, often in response to economic disruptions. Efforts to reform state debt practices and debt limit can be traced all the way back the eighteen hundreds when a constitutional change was made to require voter voter approval for issuing general obligation debt. The state's infrastructure needs have evolved in tandem with the modern economy and are now vastly broader in scope, complexity, and magnitude than in the nineteenth century requiring an expansive capital plan. State borrows to finance such spending needs with public authorities increasingly being utilized to circumvent the constitutional requirement for voter approval of state debt. Backdoor borrowing by public authorities bypasses the public's vested interest in limiting state debt levels, which in turn has led to a high debt burden. High debt levels in the modern era eventually led to the Debt Reform Act of 2000, which imposed caps on state debt outstanding and debt service spending. However, loopholes in the act were exploited over time to circumvent the limits. Increased projections of state debt levels coupled with persistent concerns regarding the state's capital planning process and its shortcomings for effectively prioritizing projects give taxpayers good cause to be concerned. And in the conclusion, the complete state debt reform must adhere to a road map of principles encompassing these four overarching goals. It must be comprehensive and binding. It must be accountable to state taxpayers and voters. It must impose responsible and sustainable affordability limits and practices, and it must allow flexibility for potential emergencies of modern times. Achieving this reform will confer an enduring benefit on the people of New York through a sustainable and affordable debt limit and help to ensure the prudent use of limited public resources. That wasn't me who wrote it, mister president. That was democrat Tom Annapoli Tom Annapoli, the New York State comptroller. So when the budget is due six days from now, New Yorkers don't know what's in it. As was already pointed out, we haven't even convened open conference committees to discuss many of the issues that have brought been brought forward since the governor first introduced her budget. But here today, you're asking to borrow an additional $10,000,000,000 for a budget that we haven't seen. You control the senate. You control the assembly. You control the governor's office. You should have listened to the comptroller two years ago when he wrote that. You're spending more than we can possibly afford, and you're planning to spend more than our future can afford. You're borrowing on the backs of New Yorkers' futures, and you're ignoring the advice of the comptroller who watches over the books. You cannot make New York more affordable by spending, by taxing, and by borrowing more and more each year. If you could, then New York State would be the second most affordable state in the nation. But you all know that we're not. So on this unaffordable debt, mister president, I vote no and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

[Speaker 0]: Thank you, senator Walzik. Senator Steck,

[Senator Dan Stec]: on the bill. Thank you, mister president. On the bill. Late again. Last year, this budget was six weeks late. It's proposed your proposal's 270,000,000,000 with a b dollars. That is more than Texas and Florida combined. That is one and a half times per capita the state of California. Just a couple weeks ago, Sienna had a poll out, respected poll, trusted poll, established poll. And I hope everyone knows what I'm about to say, but in case you don't, I'm gonna say it again because it should be setting off alarm bells in your conference room, in the conference room down the hall, and down on the 2nd Floor. One in three New Yorkers polled in that Sienna poll said they intend to leave this state in the next five years. For those of you that are slow on the map, that's 6,000,000 people that the CNN poll projects will leave in the next five years. They are not leaving because of cold weather. They are leaving because this state is contributing to a failure of our economy. They can't afford to live here. And I'm gonna spend time now here at the March because you got six days until this budget is late To do some honest reflection, why are New Yorkers saying they're gonna leave? They are fleeing. One in three say they're gonna leave in the next five years. A budget more than Texas and Florida's combined, one and a half times per capita California's budget that ignores the state's own experts on what the energy crisis is doing in New York, that the CLCPA is gonna jack people's costs of $4,000 a year in a couple years and give us $5 gallon gas, and you're content to stay the status quo there, please, for the love of God and for our constituents, one in three New Yorkers are saying they wanna leave because they don't wanna put up with it. I'll be voting no on this bill and the rest of them unless I see significant changes. Thank you, mister president.

[Speaker 0]: Thank you, senator Steck. Are there any other senators wishing to be heard, seeing and hearing none? Debate is closed. Secretary will ring the bell. Read the last section. Section error. Excuse me.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: To the noncontroversial calendar.

[Speaker 0]: Consent, the bill is restored to the noncontroversial calendar. Read the last

[Senator Thomas F. O'Mara]: section.

[Secretary/Reading Clerk of the Senate]: Section two of this action will defect immediately. Call the roll. Dabo, Junaud, Skruger, or superintendent's owner.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Kruger to explain her vote.

[Senator Liz Krueger (Chair, Finance Committee)]: Thank you, mister president, and thank you, colleagues. So I would wish we had an on time budget. I've lived through endless years under both Democrats and Republicans, but we didn't have on time budgets. What I know, unlike Washington DC, also controlled totally by one party, the Republican party, they're not paying federal workers and expecting them to show up for work or paying them half the costs. That's outrageous. We in New York have mastered a system where we pay our bills even when we're still debating pieces of the budget. We pay our workers. We don't leave anybody hanging. We can explain everything to people. And frankly, when I was in the minority for seventeen years, I wasn't saying democrats will get everything done on time. I said democrats will get better budgets that matter to people. And I believe that New Yorkers want better budgets that matter to people, not what date is on the bill. So yes, I would prefer that with a governor and two houses all of the same party, we might be able to get things done faster, but I'll still stand by getting better results is much more important than getting on time. Frankly, when we don't get the budget done on time, we don't get paid, everybody else does. I think everybody here knows that. Finally, quickly, despite the argument we just heard that people are not happy with how we spend money or that we borrow money, in fact, Wall Street, which lends us the money, actually continues to increase our credit ratings. Yes. They went down during COVID for real reasons related to COVID. But since 2020, when they did downgrade the state's rating, Moody's upgraded New York State last in August 24. We have excellent credit ratings from Fitch, Kroll, Moody's, and S and P. We get double a plus double a plus, a small a one, and a double a plus from each of those agencies. In fact, Moody's reiterated, just a few weeks ago that citing a stable outlook based on the state's strong reserves, budget flexibility, and sound management tools, we are fully confident with the state's ability to be borrowing the amount of money they have been borrowing and for paying and improving our infrastructure. And the drop in 2020 was specifically related to COVID, which has all been readdressed. We are far more worried about federal reserves and the ability of the federal government to make good on their payment schedules, and that is where the concerns should lie. I am concerned about the federal changes and very concerned that with the loss of federal money already and the potential for even greater amounts of loss of money, I understand that the responsibilities for this legislature and this government will continue to put more demand on us and more drain. So several of my colleagues have already said they won't be voting for the other budget bill bills when they come, and that is their right. But I hope that they are consistent that they will also vote no on the capital bill. Because I think most of us like to go home and talk about how much good we did when we passed more money for our school districts and our construction projects at home. But I hope that people are consistent. If they're saying no on everything else, they better not just pass the bills that they think get them credit at home. I'm a yes, mister president. Thank you.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Kruger is to be recorded in the affirmative. Senator Barello to explain his vote.

[Senator George Borrello]: Thank you. First of I wanna, I wanna thank senator Kruger for her honesty because, the governor was in Syracuse yesterday saying we're gonna have an on time budget. So, I'm not sure where she got that information. Clearly not from senator Krueger. So that being said, today's, debt bill, I realize the narrative is you need to vote for this because this is debt we're already obligated to. Well, we're authorizing $9,000,000,000 in new debt and retiring $3,000,000,000 in debt. You know, I get notices from credit cards all the time saying we've increased your credit limit. Congratulations. That doesn't mean you go out and charge the credit card up to full because they increased the credit limit. So that's kind of what we're doing here today. Meanwhile, we know that while we're borrowing more money, the the Hochul administration continues to not address fraud, waste, and abuse. $2,000,000,000 in Medicaid payments to people that don't even live in New York State. So we're borrowing money to subsidize fraud, in my opinion. So I'll be voting no. Thank you, mister president.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Barrella to be recorded in the negative. Senator Scufus to explain his vote.

[Senator James Skoufis]: Thank you very much, mister president. First, I want to, for the record and for the aforementioned many, countless viewers who are tuning in to these proceedings, correct the record on one point. I'm I'm surprised that for a colleague across the aisle who's been in the legislature for forty three years, forty three years, does not know that we did not have the full year to negotiate a budget and be done by April 1. Article seven, section two of the state constitution makes it very clear that an executive budget proposal comes to us by the third Thursday, or Tuesday rather, in January. If it's a new governor, they have till February 1. We've had two months, not a full year. So just to correct that one point, but the more important issue is that, yes, we may well be past April 1 by the time we're done. Yes, democrats are in the majority in both houses and a democrat is in the Governor's Mansion. But the reason we may wind up past April 1 is because we are not a rubber stamp despite the fact that one party is in control of the legislature and the governorship. And the other side should be grateful that we are not a rubber stamp. We actually have disagreements. There are points of contention that we do not just give into, and that stands in stark contrast to our federal government where when the executive says jump, the legislature just responds how high. We should all be grateful we do not operate that way. And yes, it might yield a budget that is a little past April 1, but it yields a better budget as a result. I vote yes.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Scufus, to be recorded in the affirmative. Senator Generis, to close.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Who's going to be the chamber historian when I'm gone? Let's talk facts. When the two of the three, players in the budget process were Republicans, George Pataki and Joe Bruno, The budget was routinely late, not by days, not by weeks, by months. August. August. Senator Tesco, you were around those days. You remember. Yes. August. Four times the budget went to August under Republican dominated budget process. You wanna say, well, it wasn't all one party. Okay. Let's look at what all party control is responsibly and irresponsibly. Here, we haven't had government shutdowns. The budget's late a few days, a couple of weeks maybe, but we end up with a budget. The state continues to function. You want to see what irresponsible all party control looks like? Try waiting in line to get on a plane these days. Republican control of the federal government is complete. They have shutdowns every couple of months. People's lives are affected. People are not getting paid. And if you want to take a trip, good luck to you. We're going to do this the way we've always done it, which is in the best interest of the people. As senator Skouvist mentioned, we're going to stand up for the people we represent, we believe in. We're going end up with a good product. And if it's not done on April 1, it will be done shortly thereafter and the state will just keep on functioning just fine. I vote yes, mister president.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Generis, it will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.

[Secretary/Reading Clerk of the Senate]: In relation to counter six fifty seven voting in a negative are senators Barrelo, Chan, Hellman, Lanza, O'Meara, Ort, Steck, Todisco, Walzik and White. Ayes, 47. Nays, 10. The bill is passed.

[Speaker 0]: Senator Generis, that completes the reading of today's supplemental excuse me, controversial calendar.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Is there any further business at the desk?

[Speaker 0]: There is no further business at the desk.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: I move to adjourn until Monday, March 30, 3PM, with intervening days being legislative days. And, mister president, let's go Mets.

[Speaker 0]: Yes. On motion, the senate stands adjourned until Monday, March 30 at 3PM, with the intervening days being legislative. It is the real opening day. Let's go Mets.