How Cuomo’s Budget Plan Affects Our Issues

February 2, 2011

With the state facing ever-increasing financial distress, Governor Andrew Cuomo's first executive budget impacts all of our issues in various ways. Overall, the plan, which puts the state budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year at $132.9 billion, reduces spending by $3.7 billion, or 2.7%. Our preliminary analysis identifies key changes in the areas of Criminal Justice, Drug and Alcohol and HIV/AIDS, including charts and commentary from the governor’s budget.

A few highlights:

  • Cuts in state spending to the two biggest state budget items, education and Medicaid;
  • Mergers and consolidations of state agencies (notably in criminal justice);
  • Changes to state spending on education;
  • Redesign of the Medicaid program;
  • Review of state mandates that impose costs on local governments and other entities; and
  • Overall cuts of 10% to state operations (agencies will be expected to reduce operations by this amount, with layoffs a possibility).
Follow this link for our full analysis, and stay tuned for further updates as we gather details in our meetings and conversations with state policymakers and legislative staff.

More news: Visit NYS Budget Central to see all our work on the 2011-2012 budget.