“Our 2024-25 New York state Budget was delayed by several weeks once again. While every budget has good and bad components, this budget is one I could not support. I was happy to see some items my team and I advocated for make it into the budget, including:

- Defeating the Governor's proposed cut to foundation aid for countless school districts statewide by keeping the “hold harmless” language in the budget.

- Making a change in property law to distinguish squatters from tenants.

- Increasing penalties and resources to combat retail theft crimes.

- Expanding programs and tax credits to address childcare needs.

- Expanding eligibility for TAP to help make college more affordable for many New Yorkers.

“However, spending in the state has gone from $163 billion in 2018 to $237 billion in 2024. Budget deficits may not make the headlines but these real financial problems will impact our state in a variety of ways in the years to come. While we spend a record amount of your taxpayer dollars, we are not even coming close to funding our roads and infrastructure the way we need to. We did not invest enough in our direct-service professionals (DSPs) within the human services industry, who desperately needed both a pay increase and job security in the years to come. The average salary for our DSPs is $16.50 per hour. These hard-working men and women provide our most vulnerable New Yorkers mental health, addiction and other essential services, yet some of them qualify for social services programs themselves. We needed to do more to address these issues as well as crime, affordability, the migrant crisis, other state workforce-related emergencies and more.

It’s unfortunate that the budget process in New York is always subject to a rushed process with absolutely no transparency. I would love to see us work together and I will do my very best to continue to work with my colleagues, regardless of party, to ensure we do more for the people of my district and the state of New York,” said Maher.