“Right now, we need to focus on keeping New York running,” said Brabenec. “Gov. Cuomo has called for an “accelerated” State Budget agreement, but we must ask ourselves if this is the best route to take. The primary focus should be making sure the state can continue to operate financially, and the rest of the politics should be put on hold.

“It’s tough to say, but our future is unclear in this moment. A budget filled with policies of marijuana legalization and the banning of hydrofracking doesn’t deserve a free pass just because we are in the middle of a public health crisis.

“The best thing we can do for New Yorkers is to create an extended budget. We will pass what needs to be passed, but bad policy will have to be debated at a future date. With two of our own members testing positive for the virus, I think it’s safe to say that the governor’s non-essential political wish list can be put on hold until we pass the necessities.”