Hawley faults governor for failing to deliver state budget deal

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is calling out Gov. Hochul for failing to deliver a state budget more than a month past the April 1 deadline.

While the governor recently announced a conceptual agreement on a $254 billion budget, it has yet to receive support from state lawmakers. Over the last week, Hochul has spent her time away from Albany promoting her new proposal as the state Legislature continues to wait for the actual budget bills to be introduced.

Hawley believes the governor’s absence from Albany and the Legislature’s not agreeing to adopt is the epitome of incompetence, and only further delays the budget process and puts off relief for everyday New Yorkers.

“This is the latest a state budget has been in the last 15 years, and Gov. Hochul is nowhere to be found,” said Hawley. “It seems as if the governor will speak to just about any news outlet but won’t sit down with lawmakers to hash out a budget. We’ve been back in Albany every week waiting for a final proposal, but she hasn’t been in the Capitol since last Monday. Someone needs to tell this administration that media tours aren’t a part of the budget process. It’s time for Gov. Hochul to come back to Albany and finish the job.”