The Brian Lehrer Show Albany Budget Negotiations in Full Swing
Mar 13, 2026
Jimmy Vielkind, New York State issues reporter covering Albany and state politics. He breaks down competing one-house budget plans, the push for higher taxes on millionaires, Hochul’s opposition, and the tug-of-war over city bailouts and transit pilots. Short, clear takes on legal limits, migration debates, and who would actually pay.
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Legislature Supports Revenue But Sets Different Thresholds
- Both the Assembly and Senate backed Mayor Mamdani's call for new revenue while setting higher thresholds than his proposal.
- The legislature framed tax hikes as necessary to close NYC's $5.4 billion gap, but their one-house resolutions are statements of priorities not final law.
Governor Still Holds The Decisive Leverage
- One-house budget resolutions signal hopes and priorities but rarely become final policy without the governor.
- Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Carl Heastie can push, but Governor Hochul's agreement is decisive in final negotiations.
Tax Hikes Face Migration And Mixed Data Arguments
- Hochul warns higher taxes risk driving businesses and wealthy filers to lower-tax states, citing post-remote-work mobility.
- Data are mixed: millionaires in NY rose after 2021 rate increases, complicating the migration argument.