Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced that the Assembly's budget proposal for SFY 2013-14 calls for more than $660 million over three years in increased funding, above the Executive's budget, for programs to aid New York City and the state's financially struggling local governments.

"Our budget would provide much needed additional funding to the City of New York and to local government programs that have not seen an increase in state aid for the last several years," said Silver. "My Assembly colleagues and I are very concerned about the fiscal challenges facing New York's localities. We are committed to doing everything we can to help local governments get through these lean economic times."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "Through its restoration of education funding and revenue sharing, Speaker Silver and the Assembly have produced a budget that treats New York City equitably. We are grateful for the Assembly's leadership and look forward to working with Speaker Silver and the Assembly to secure passage of these vitally important measures."

The Assembly budget provides increased funding to programs critical to local government operations, including the Aid & Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) Program, which would receive more than $220 million above the Executive's budget. It would provide $140 million to the City of New York, for each of their next three fiscal years, and $80 million to other cities, towns and villages.

The Assembly plan would begin to restore AIM revenue to New York City which had been eliminated from the program in 2009.