2014-2015 Budget

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced the 2014-15 SFY Budget establishes the Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit as an incentive for the many major theatrical productions that originate in New York State to begin their national tours in communities throughout the state.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver joined with Deputy Speaker Earlene Hooper as well as Assemblymembers Deborah Glick and Robert Sweeney today to announce legislation (A.9206) to help law enforcement identify speeding vehicles in school speed zones through the use of high-tech cameras. The legislation would provide authorization for use of the state-of-the-art technology in Nassau and Suffolk counties and would expand the use of speed sensitive cameras in New York City.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Transportation Committee Chair David Gantt today announced the 2014-15 SFY Budget provides $3.4 billion to fund transportation infrastructure capital improvement projects throughout the state.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Higher Education Committee Chair Deborah J. Glick today announced the final 2014-15 state budget takes significant strides in making college more affordable by increasing support for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards and establishes a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) scholarship program. The final state spending plan also provides funding to enhance community college base aid, preserve SUNY health science centers and boost opportunity programs.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Health Committee Chair Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and Aging Committee Chair Joan Millman today announced that the 2014-15 final budget establishes the New York State Basic Health Plan, invests in vital public health programs and health research initiatives and commits support to critical Medicaid programs. It also provides a two percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for direct care staff in Department of Health programs.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Mental Health Committee Chair Aileen Gunther and Assemblymember Harvey Weisenberg announced today that the 2014-15 final budget agreement restores a two percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for human services workers at state-funded human services agencies.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assemblyman Robin Schimminger today announced the 2014-15 SFY Budget restores millions of dollars to critical job creation and economic development programs, including the Centers of Excellence and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) both of which are rooted in high technology industries and public-private partnerships.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and members of the Assembly Child Care Workgroup today announced the 2014-15 state budget agreement provides over $41 million to increase access to subsidized child care for working families.

Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assemblymember Cathy Nolan, chair of the Education Committee, announced today the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2014-15 budget agreement increases education funding by $1.12 billion and includes a five-year investment of $1.5 billion for the expansion of full-day universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) across the state. The agreement keeps high stakes Common Core testing scores off of students' permanent records and transcripts. It also prohibits the use of the Common Core tests as the primary or sole factor in making promotion and placement decisions.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Housing Committee Chair Keith Wright announced today that the final 2014-15 State budget restores funding to the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP), Rural Preservation Program (RPP), and provides support for several other affordable housing components.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Social Services Committee Chair Michele Titus and Children and Families Committee Chair Donna Lupardo announced that the 2014-15 final budget agreement addresses the soaring number of homeless families and individuals in New York City and provides funding for programs and services aiding some of New York's most vulnerable communities.

"Throughout the negotiations leading to this budget agreement, the Assembly Majority put working families first and endeavored to address the myriad challenges facing them today. We are proud that the 2014-15 state budget will make a strong commitment to the education of our children through dramatic investments in school aid and universal pre-K, and much-needed increases in TAP, community college base-aid, and higher education opportunity programs - all historic Assembly initiatives and priorities. Additionally, we take steps to safeguard and strengthen this investment by hitting the pause button on Common Core.

New York has the second highest electric rates in the nation and many ratepayers are frustrated by the poor service restoration following several major storms. As a result, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced the recently approved SFY 2014-15 Assembly budget creates the state Office of Utility Consumer Advocate to provide residential consumers with an independent voice to represent their interests during state and federal regulatory proceedings.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried announced today the Assembly budget proposal includes a provision to authorize the medicinal use of marijuana.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced the Assembly Budget for SFY 2014-15 directs state funds to economic development initiatives to increase job opportunities, encourage the growth of manufacturing companies and support small businesses throughout the state.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Health Committee Chair Assemblyman Richard Gottfried today announced that the 2014-15 Assembly budget proposal funds vital health care programs and research initiatives, including $37 million in support for independent pharmacies to address changes in the current Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement program.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Herman D. Farrell, Jr. today announced the Assembly's 2014-2015 budget proposal of $143.4 billion provides tax relief for working families and it bolsters funding for education, tuition assistance, health and human services.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Local Governments Committee Chair William Magnarelli today announced that the Assembly budget proposal for SFY 2014-15 provides $280 million more in local government assistance funding, to benefit New York City and local governments, than the Executive's budget.

Putting the dream of a college education within reach for New York's immigrant youth, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced that the Assembly's budget proposal includes $25 million to fund the New York State Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

In a continued to effort to put New York's families first, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Children and Families Committee Chair Donna Lupardo today announced that as part of a four year, $400 million overall investment, the Assembly's 2014-15 state budget agreement would include a $106 million commitment to fund child care subsidies and quality improvement measures.

Working to make higher education more affordable for all students, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Higher Education Committee Chair Deborah J. Glick announced today that the 2014-15 Assembly budget includes a $300 increase in Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards, bringing the maximum TAP award to $5,300 per full-time student (FTE) and increasing TAP support by $47 million to students across the state.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert K. Sweeney today announced the Assembly SFY 2014-15 Budget would provide $167 million to the state Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), a $10 million increase above the Executive's budget.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Education Committee Chair Catherine Nolan today announced an Assembly budget allocation of $22.2 billion in school aid, which reflects an increase of $970 million in formula aids over SY 2013-2014. The Assembly proposal is an increase of $402 million over the Executive budget school aid allocation for SY 2014-2015. Included in the increase is $335 million for Foundation Aid and $367 million for Gap Elimination Adjustment.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Social Services Committee Chair Michele R. Titus and Children and Families Committee Chair Donna Lupardo today announced the Assembly budget proposal commits more than $28 million for safety net programs and $132.8 million for services that support children and families.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman D. Farrell, Jr. today unveiled the Assembly Majority's annual Revenue and Economic Reports for New York State.

Senate Majority Coalition Co-Leaders Dean G. Skelos and Jeff Klein and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced an agreement on a joint legislative budget schedule that sets deadlines that will lead to the adoption of a fourth consecutive early state budget. .

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Herman D. Farrell, Jr. today announced the release of the Review and Analysis of the 2014-15 Executive Budget.

Senate Finance Committee Chair John A. DeFrancisco and Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman D. Farrell, Jr., today announced the Joint Legislative Hearing Schedule on the 2014-2015 Executive Budget proposal.

Governor Cuomo has presented a bold vision for providing tax relief for hard working men and women across New York. As I have said in the past, any proposal should be premised on a principle of fairness to all New Yorkers -- city residents, suburbanites and rural residents alike.