“As the new fiscal year begins and the Legislature passes its first late budget in years, it is disheartening to see that our House seems to have learned nothing from the crimes of last year. In 2015 we saw both Houses’ legislative leaders convicted on corruption charges, and yet this year’s budget process was more opaque than ever before.

“Once again the budget negotiation process was conducted by three men in a room, all of whom hail from downstate, without the inclusion of minority party leaders and with zero public transparency. This year’s budget bills were delivered to us in a piecemeal manner, overnight and rushed to the floor without proper time for review. With these three men holding all of the power, how is it possible that this budget could represent the needs of all New Yorkers?

“There are a few good things that came out of this budget, such as fully restoring the Gap Elimination Adjustment education cuts and providing record education aid for our students. The middle-class is receiving a tax cut and there is $25 million more than last year going to help the growing heroin epidemic in our communities. These are all good things, but it is simply discouraging to see this process carried out in such a rushed and secretive manner. The people of New York deserve an open and transparent process that represents their needs, not a political agenda, and I know that we can do better.”