Speaker Heastie Statement on Budget Agreement

My Assembly Majority colleagues and I know that our state’s economic recovery depends on the success of New York’s working families. We know that now, more than ever, New Yorkers are struggling with the rising cost of groceries, housing, higher education, gas and childcare, and that we must seize this moment to deliver the economic relief that is so desperately needed.

Throughout this budget process, we have worked tirelessly to deliver a spending plan that focuses on the everyday needs of New Yorkers as we continue to navigate our state’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating economic impacts.

I am confident that in this budget, we will deliver for families the tax relief they need, including property tax relief, middle class tax cuts and a gas tax holiday to offer some relief at the pump.

We fought to ensure that this budget makes unprecedented investments in childcare and prekindergarten to help parents and caregivers get back into the work force and get our economy moving again.

We were able to deliver a meaningul wage increase for homecare workers for the critical work that they do to ensure New Yorkers can live comfortably and with dignity in their homes.

Year after year, we have lead the way to make higher education affordable to more families, and this year we built on those accomplishments. Since rolling out the Higher Education Road to Success initiative in 2015, we have doubled our investment in opportunity programs for New York’s hardworking students.

After nearly two years of interrupted education and uncertainty, we have made a record investment in public education to ensure that our students are safely back in the classroom receiving the high quality public education they need to thrive.

I am confident and proud to say that this spending plan reflects our continued commitment to putting New York’s families first.