ALBANY — The state Legislature early today delivered the first on-time budget since 2006 — a huge victory for Gov. Cuomo.
The last pieces of Cuomo’s $10 billion gap-closing plan cleared just after 1 a.m., marking an early triumph in his effort to cure Albany’s chronic dysfunction.
“The Legislature not only passed an on-time budget, but an historic and transformational budget for the people of the state of New York.” Cuomo said. “It was an invaluable public service for the state government to function so well at this difficult time.”
It was the first on-time budget in five years . Had it passed just an hour earlier, it would have been the first early budget in 28 years.
The vote ratified the deal Cuomo announced Sunday with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau) and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) amid the governor’s threats of a shutdown vote if lawmakers rejected his spending plan.
It includes closing up to six prisons, cutting some $1.3 billion in school aid statewide and slashing $2.8 billion from Medicaid.
Lawmakers revealed last night the city would get only $51 million restored of its expected $566 million school-aid cut.
In contrast, Skelos’ Long Island, which has about a third of the population of New York City, received a restoration of about $43 million.
Silver, however, called the distribution “fair” and noted the city would receive additional education subsidies of $166 million.
“We’re grateful for the restorations,” said Mayor Bloomberg’s Albany lobbyist, Micah Lasher.
“But this is tinkering at the edges of a disastrous budget.”
The plan came under attack by some 300 protesters, who — mustered by tenant advocates and union-backed groups — staged a “Capitol Camp-In” and blasted lawmakers for not approving the “millionaires tax” advocated by Silver. “Protect the kids, not millionaires!” they chanted.
The group was lured with promises of 70 pizzas and “many S’mores.” They raged when state troopers attempted to block the mass food delivery and launched a chant of “Pizza busting is disgusting!”
The protests fell on deaf ears as Republicans and Democrats alike voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plan — which includes the first year-to-year spending cut since the mid-1990s.
“The governor showed great leadership,” Skelos said. “The governor and our conference stood firm on no new taxes and everyone knew we had to cut spending and it worked.”