Almost three weeks overdue, and the budget is still being debated.

0:00 Speaker 1 What is today is Zach Williams from the Bloomberg News Company, and he’s going to give us a report of what’s going on in Aubanny with the budget. Let’s have an independent report from Bloomberg. Thank you, Zach for being on this Sunday morning, and tell us what is your gut feeling.

0:21 Speaker 2 Well, we after the governor announced a handshake agreement at the beginning of the week, there was several days of suspense before the final budget bills finally dropped Thursday morning. They included some really you know, high profile provisions, including increased penalties against people that assault retail workers as well as increased penalties against people that kind of sell stolen goods,

0:49 you know, alongside, you know, a bunch of other proposals in a spending plan that’s expected to top two hundred and thirty seven billion.

0:59 Speaker 1 And the number one question and I asked David Pattison, this Governor Pattison, and I said, on New York is going to be safer?

1:10 Speaker 2 Well, you know, it depends how you look at it. You know, if you come from the political right, you know people you know, Republican lawmakers for instance, we’re looking to really increased penalties on alleged criminals. And you know, we do see in the budget the increased penalties that I’ve mentioned regarding retail theft, retail assaults of retail workers.

1:31 But you know, this is a budget that as we need more towards the progressive side of things if anything on criminal justice matters. You know, there’s expected to be a big housing plan that includes tenant protections that you’re from the political left, you’d argue might affect a crime rates.

1:48 But you know, all in all, this is a budget that really, you know, just doesn’t have nearly as much controversy when it comes to criminal justice reforms in the like compared to a year ago when bail reform was really being hashed out in detail.

2:04 Speaker 1 Understood. What else did they spend money on? Is a subway people, The subway is going to be safer?

2:16 Speaker 2 Well, certainly, you know, the increased fundings for example for mental health services, you know, might make a dent in some of the homelessness that’s scene in the subway. You know, what’s really important for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, of course, is you know, more than two billion dollars to help the city, you know, fund all these social services, housing,

2:36 food and everything else for the incoming weight of migrants into the city. And of course, you know, Governor Kathy Hokal has kind of kept an eye on some technological developments as well, with several proposals aimed at confronting the threats of artificial intelligence also included in the budget. So, you know, but I would say, all in all, you know,

2:57 it’s the housing plan that’s really front and center are in this budget. You know, a key thing there was a tax in center for real estate developers alongside those tenant protections against increased rents and evictions.

3:11 Speaker 1 Understood, what else would you want to talk about to the all in New York City New York is are taxes going up.

3:19 Speaker 2 You know, the governor was pretty insistent on holding the line, and she succeeded when it came to income taxes. You know, the big tax that came through in this budget that’s different than last year, you know, is one to manage care organizations. You know who are they? There are people that kind of coordinate Medicaid funding for you know, older

3:39 folks or the indigent or people with disabilities that could raise you know, four billion dollars all depends on some you know, federal red tape getting cut. But you know, all in all, i’d say this budget, you know, really was was really focused on the housing debate, though of course there were many other important things in you know,

4:00 this two hundred and three seven billion dollar spending plan that you know, should be all wrapped up, you know, nearly three weeks after the April first deadline.

4:12 Speaker 1 Understood. So anything else you want to tell me once.

4:19 Speaker 2 Well, you know we’re going to be shifting to that part of the year when the state lawmakers are really going to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to an acting policy. You know, the budget process gets a governor enormous leverage, but you know, with the end of budget, it gives state lawmakers, you know, roughly two

4:34 months before the June sixth end of the rescheduled legislative session, to really have their go at a range of things that could you know, be addressing labor if you know, housing issues, you know, tech issues, and many other things that will undoubtedly affect people in New York City.

4:54 Speaker 1 Gotcha, Well, thank you so much for coming you on this Sunday morning and waking up early, and God bless thank you and hope, God bless us in New York City, New York’s thank because we need some.

5:05 Speaker 2 Thank you so much, Thanks so much, John, thank you,