New York City leaders have their eyes on some specific items in the state budget, as well as the level of funding they will ultimately receive, and several city leaders lobbied for city causes in Albany this week. NY1's Zack Fink filed the following report.
For the first time in nearly 10 years, there appears to be agreement that the state will provide some level of funding for public housing in New York City. How much that will be remains to be seen, and advocates were at the statehouse this week to ask for funds to make capital improvements and repairs in New York City Housing Authority housing.
"We will make sure that we put millions and millions of dollars of capital money into this year's budget to make those repairs. But it's not enough. We want to make sure that they're done and they're done correctly," said Jeff Klein, leader of the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has provided $25 million in his executive budget for NYCHA. The Senate's one-house budget proposal calls for $200 million.
This week, 12 members of the New York City Council traveled to Albany to lobby for various causes, including that any allocated NYCHA funds not be placed exclusively under state control.
"It really is important that that money be directly allocated to the New York City Housing Authority and to allow the New York City Council also to be part of that process of having oversight. And we critically need it," said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
State control over the city is a big part of the overall budget battle this year, which mirrors the constant push and pull between Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Cuomo also wants the state to take control of failing schools. Democrats in the Assembly and de Blasio oppose that.
"Where mayoral control of education exists and you have a clear chain of command, absolutely clear accountability, the state should simply let us get our job done," de Blasio said.
Mothers of those who have died at the hands of police were also in Albany. They want to see a special prosecutor automatically appointed in similar cases, part of a series of criminal justice reforms.
"That way, we don't have to wait for the governor to decide, we don't have to wait for the attorney general to decide, we don't have to wait for a middle man. The law will kick in," said state Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, whose district covers parts of the Bronx and Mt. Vernon, N.Y.
Ultimately the appropriations in the state budget get decided by a small group of state leaders, and while Democrats in the Assembly will advocate for the city's needs, Republicans in the state Senate are often at odds with that agenda.