Plugged In @ Hinman Straub – April 5, 2017

Coverage of Albany and New York State government

Lawmakers Approve Budget Extender, Continue Working on Full Fiscal Year Budget
Governors Promise to Meet Clean Power Plan Targets
Poll: Governor’s Approval Rating at Two-Year High
Governor Announces Third Round of State Broadband Program
Democrats Look to Increase Federal Medicaid Support for New York
Governor Announces Launch of SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute
Attorney General Announces Settlement of Environmental Lawsuits With Volkswagen
Political Update
Coming Up

Lawmakers Approve Budget Extender, Continue Working on Full Fiscal Year Budget

At the end of last week, lawmakers appeared to be close to reaching agreement on a state spending plan for the 2017-18 fiscal year. But despite working throughout the weekend, they were unable to do so.

On Monday, Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders reached agreement on an emergency spending measure that will enable the state to meet its payroll obligations and avoid a shutdown.

The emergency budget extender, which appropriates about $40 billion, will allow the state to continue operating until May 31. (Read the Governor’s press release here.)

Lawmakers have continued their budget negotiations, and appear to be very close to an overall agreement. The Senate approved four budget bills last night, and the Assembly passed them today. But as of this writing, there are still some outstanding issues and it is not clear when lawmakers will approve the remaining bills.

Under state law, legislators do not receive their paychecks until the entire 2017-18 budget is in place.

Governors Promise to Meet Clean Power Plan Targets

Last Tuesday, President Trump issued an Executive Order initiating an immediate review of the Clean Power Plan, which restricts greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants.

In response, Gov. Cuomo joined with California Governor Jerry Brown an announced their commitment to exceed the targets of the Clean Power Plan and curb carbon pollution.

The Governors wrote:

“Dismantling the Clean Power Plan and other critical climate programs is profoundly misguided and shockingly ignores basic science. With this move, the Administration will endanger public health, our environment and our economic prosperity.

Climate change is real and will not be wished away by rhetoric or denial. We stand together with a majority of the American people in supporting bold actions to protect our communities from the dire consequences of climate change.

Together, California and New York represent approximately 60 million people – nearly one-in-five Americans – and 20 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. With or without Washington, we will work with our partners throughout the world to aggressively fight climate change and protect our future.”

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman also vowed to oppose the President’s actions, saying that he will use an existing legal case defend the Clean Power Plan.

Poll: Governor’s Approval Rating at Two-Year High

A Quinnipiac College poll released last week shows that a majority of New York voters approve of the job that Gov. Cuomo is doing. However, the same voters do not think that Gov. Cuomo would make a good president.

Voters approve of the job Cuomo is doing, 52% – 31%, a slight improvement from his December ratings (49% – 34%). This is the Governor’s best job approval from Quinnipiac since December 2014, when he reached 58% approval.

But even as the Governor is being mentioned as a potential Presidential candidate in 2020, the poll finds that most voters do not think he would make a good president – 52% – 37%.

Governor Announces Third Round of State Broadband Program

On Thursday, Gov. Cuomo announced that the state accepting RFPs for the third and final round of the New NY Broadband Program, which he says will “secure access to high-speed internet for all New Yorkers by the end of 2018.”

Gov. Cuomo said:

“High-speed internet is essential for connecting our communities and ensuring that all of New York can compete in the global economy. With this third round of the NY Broadband Program, we are helping to ensure high speed internet access in every corner of this state, empowering New Yorkers no matter where in the Empire State they call home and truly achieving Broadband for all.”

Democrats Look to Increase Federal Medicaid Support for New York

Gov. Cuomo and the state’s Democratic members of Congress are trying to counter the recent efforts by some Republican members for force New York State to pay the full portion of Medicaid costs currently covered by counties.

The Democratic proposal, called the Empire State Equity Act, would provide New York with an additional $2.3 billion in Medicaid funds, a 4% increase. The Governor announced his support for the proposal, which he said would enable the state to eliminate the local share of Medicaid for any county that agrees to lower local property taxes by an equal amount.

Given that the Democrats are in the minority in Congress, it appears unlikely that the Democratic proposal will become law.

Governor Announces Launch of SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute

Last Saturday, Gov. Cuomo announced the launch of the State University of New York (SUNY) Hispanic Leadership Institute, which is charged with “developing and supporting the next generation of executive-level Latino leaders across the SUNY system.”

Gov. Cuomo said:

“In New York we believe our diversity is our greatest strength, and the newly-established Hispanic Leadership Institute will work to cultivate the next generation of Latino leaders at SUNY. This initiative will provide the future leaders of tomorrow with the experience, skills and training they need to succeed, and ensure the leadership of the SUNY system reflects the strength of the Empire State’s communities.”

Attorney General Announces Settlement of Environmental Lawsuits With Volkswagen

On Thursday, State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that Volkswagen and its American subsidiaries have agreed to pay some $157 million to ten states to settle the environmental lawsuits first filed last summer by New York and Massachusetts. New York will receive $32.5 million in the settlement, which stems from VW’s use of illegal “defeat device” software in their vehicles that enabled their vehicles to emit tens of thousands of tons of excess harmful pollutants into the air.

Attorney General Schneiderman said:

“Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche tried to pull off an extraordinarily cynical corporate fraud – deceiving hundreds of thousands of consumers, pumping thousands of tons of harmful pollution into our air, and flouting New York and federal environmental laws designed to protect public health. This went on for nearly a decade, for no other reason than their bottom line, so the companies could avoid the expense of engineering cars that would actually meet our environmental standards… But Volkswagen was caught – and today’s settlement means we’ve now held them to full account.”

Political Update

State Senator May Run for Suffolk County Sheriff

The Suffolk County Conservative Party has endorsed State Senator Phil Boyle (R-Bay Shore) as its candidate for Suffolk County sheriff in November.

If Boyle were to run for this office and win, it would leave the Senate Republicans one seat short of a majority in 2018, at least until a special election could be held to replace him.

Winners & Losers

Each week, City & State New York publishes a list of the week’s political “winners” and “losers.” Read last week’s list here.

Coming Up

The Senate and Assembly are not scheduled to be in session after today, but may remain in Albany as they try to complete work on the 2017-18 state budget.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) holds its next meeting on April 20.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) holds its next meeting on April 25.

The State Board of Elections holds its next meeting on April 25.

The special elections to fill vacancies in the 30^th Senate District (Manhattan) and the 9^th Assembly District (Nassau/Suffolk) are scheduled for May 23.