AMHERST, N.Y. — With state lawmakers in Albany now scrutinizing and deciding on her state budget proposals, Governor Kathy Hochul spoke at the UB campus in Amherst Monday to drum up support for the record-setting $227 billion spending plan.
There is a lot of money earmarked for projects in Western New York.
Governor Hochul, before an appreciative crowd at UB's Amherst Campus, came bearing budgetary gifts on a way to Western New York. Everything from another $100 million dollars for research and lab facilities at UB to ten million for new public works - an operations center for the City of Buffalo to help with storm response.
But she also talked about bigger-picture items like much more education funding. Hochul told the crowd
"I'm investing in education overall. A record amount of money - $34.5 billion- we've never seen the likes of this before. And for Western New York - that is 2 point 9 billion dollars for Western New York."
That is in addition to previously announced education funding increases which go beyond the increases which were also distributed last year.
Then on the subject of what she feels is a housing crisis, there is her push to hit a stated goal of 800,000 new or refurbished housing units within a decade in the state. Hochul proposes to allocate funds there as well.
"The state of New York is putting an initial - and I say initial because I'll put more on the table to help with the infrastructure costs - $250 million to start. So I would say to communities - you want to do this start getting your application in soon - start asking for that money."
The Governor actually met with some Democratic community leaders from around this region before her speech to urge their support and participation in this affordable housing campaign. That is even though some contend it could also usurp local town or village control over matters like zoning.
Then there is much more including funding increases for mental health, highway infrastructure, and public safety initiatives targeting illegal guns and crime. That is all part of an overall budget plan which calls for a five percent increase in spending.
As Channel 2 reported previously that increased spending draws on a surplus this year with federal Covid relief funding which will run out. That also comes in the face of a predicted economic recession.
A previous Channel 2 report also pointed out that the state itself is projecting that next year's budget could have a built-in deficit hole of six billion dollars as the economy slows down.
Still, the upbeat Governor asked the local crowd for help Monday in reaching out to state lawmakers to approve this year's budget.