Assemblywoman Buttenschon’s Statement on the Passage of the Fiscal Year
2026-27 New York State Budget
“This evening, the Legislature concluded its work on the Fiscal Year 2027 State Budget, a process that has spanned over 57 days and ten budget bills. And while I could not support all of these bills, I want to be direct about why: a budget should be a fiscal blueprint for our state government, nothing more and nothing less, and the repeated use of the budgetary process as a vehicle for advancing significant policy matters that deserve their own debate and their own vote on the floor of this House is a practice I will continue to oppose. That said, there is meaningful work in this budget that will make a real difference in the lives of our residents, from the Death Gamble Act for our correction and law enforcement officers and long-overdue reforms to how we define disability eligibility for our veterans, to critical
support for our agricultural communities including the Local Bridge Program to further connect and encourage downstate product sales and tax relief, EMS capital and new program funding, a volunteer firefighter tax credit, local CHIPS and AIM funding, investments in our schools, libraries, and healthcare system, and the Tier 6 pension reforms that will help make public service a more competitive and viable career for the dedicated employees our state and local communities depend on every day. The following is a summary of the key highlights of the provisions enacted in the Budget Bills passed today.
Health
“New York State is making critical investments in the health and well-being of all New Yorkers and the natural resources that sustain both our communities and economies. Allocating direct support for our hospitals, our nursing homes, our farms, and our waterways, I am pleased to see these tangible investments move forward today.
“It is no secret that rising costs, stagnant reimbursement rates, and the growing Federal Medicaid uncertainty have placed significant financial strain on our hospitals and nursing homes across not only the Mohawk Valley, but all of New York State. Without strong and stable hospitals and nursing homes, rural and upstate communities like ours stand
to face the consequences of not only a healthcare crisis, but care deserts and provider shortages as well. The resources allocated this week stand to provide both the financial support and predictability our healthcare system needs in order to maintain the quality care and programs our neighborhoods deserve and depend upon, and additionally continues to
grow investment in the State’s Medical Indemnity Fund (MIF), ensuring that we continue to meet our obligations to our most vulnerable patients. Allocated this week, the Budget provides:
● A total of:
○ $400 million in direct support for hospitals
○ $250 million in direct support for nursing homes
○ $155.6 million for the Medical Indemnity Fund (MIF)
○ $100 million to support the Home Care Worker Quality Program
○ $18 million in direct & additional support for assisted living programs and hospice care
“However, I remain concerned over the absence of no new funding for our EMS providers. They generally are the first line of medical care in an emergency situation, and in many rural communities, are often the difference between life and death. In many parts of the Mohawk Valley, EMS providers are traveling long distances to reach patients, operating aging equipment, and relying heavily on volunteer workforces that are stretched increasingly thin. While this Budget makes significant investments in hospitals, nursing homes, and community health infrastructure, those investments mean far less if patients cannot get the emergency care they need before they ever reach a hospital door.
Our EMS providers have carried an extraordinary burden, and they deserve more.
“I am also pleased to see the inclusion of a 2.7 percent cost of living adjustment for providers across our human services and mental health systems. As costs continue to rise and reimbursement rates fail to keep pace with the realities, our organizations and providers that deliver these essential care services have been asked to more and more
with less and less. This 2.7 percent adjustment will apply across the full spectrum of our human services infrastructure, from mental health and addiction services to developmental disabilities, aging services, child and family services, and temporary and disability assistance, and will help to ensure not-for-profits, community organizations, and direct care providers across the State can rely on these reimbursements to keep their doors open and their dedicated staff in the field. “Furthermore, the Budget continues to extend the Medicaid Global Cap, maintaining the fiscal framework that governs the largest, and one of the most consequential, annual programs in our State Budget. Total Medicaid spending
represents nearly 44 percent of the entire 2026-27 New York State Budget. Of that total, $74 billion is expected to come from Federal dollars, signifying the vital importance our State’s partnership with the Federal government is maintaining the stability of Medicaid programs. The Global Cap provides an essential guardrail that helps ensure spending remains sustainable and accountable, while preserving the investments in hospitals, nursing homes, and community health providers that our region depends upon. However, I must acknowledge the very real and very serious impact that expected Federal cuts to Medicaid pose to this framework, which simply cannot absorb significant reductions in Federal contributions without tangible consequences for patients, providers, and communities across the State.
Mental Health
“Across the State, the demand for mental health services continues to grow, and the gap between the demand for care and the availability of resources and providers to meet it is wide. From our schools, to our emergency rooms, to our streets, the consequences of an underfunded mental health system are visible every single day. This week’s Budget
actions provides for investments to address that gap, including investments of:
● $1.27 billion for community mental health residential programs
● $500 million for adult community mental health services
● $18 million for the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses
● $8 million for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer to Peer Services Program, with $109,200 earmarked for Oneida County
● $3 million for suicide prevention efforts for veterans, first responders, law enforcement, and corrections officers
● $3.1 million for eating disorder programs and expanded treatment access
Environment
“This week’s legislation also makes broad and meaningful investments to preserve the natural resources, clean water, and open spaces that characterize life here in the Mohawk Valley. Continuing investments under the auspices of the 2017 Clean Water Infrastructure Act, this year’s budget further provides $525 million for lead removal and abatement
throughout the state. A known danger to public health, and particularly children, lead contamination in New York’s water infrastructure is not an abstract issue, it is instead a problem which disproportionately impacts older cities and economically disadvantaged communities, including many of the families and neighborhoods I represent. These
investments will help ensure that no child in the Mohawk Valley, or anywhere in New York State, is exposed to lead through the water they drink at home or at school.
“Beyond clean water, today’s legislation invests $45 million in land acquisition to preserve New York’s natural landscapes, $28.8 million to support municipal parks that serve as the backyards of our communities, $28 million in water quality improvements, and $27 million to protect the farmland that is the backbone of our regional economy. The $26 million for the Oceans and Great Lakes Initiative reflects our responsibility to steward the extraordinary waterways that border our state, while $23 million for municipal recycling efforts and $22.5 million for zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums across the state support the infrastructure of environmental education and residential stewardship that
connect future generations to the beauty around them.
Tax Credits
“Rising utility costs have been one of the most consistent and pressing concerns I continue to hear from families and small businesses across the Mohawk Valley, and for good reason. New Yorkers already pay some of the highest energy costs in the nation, and those costs have continued to climb. The Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) Credit established in this Budget will provide direct, one-time relief to households across the State, delivering $200 to joint filing households earning under $150,000 annually, $150 to those earning between $150,000 and $300,000, and $100 for single filers earning under $150,000. And while I am pleased to see this credit enacted, it is a far cry from the
$2.6 billion originally proposed, and while welcome, it is not a substitute for the long-term, structural solutions to energy affordability that our constituents deserve.
“Another consistent concern I continue to hear from constituents is child care. Today’s Revenue legislation establishes a new, enhanced New York State Child and Dependent Care Credit, which stands to provide support for working families across the Mohawk Valley who are juggling the costs of child care, elder care, or caring for a family member with a disability. Under the new credit, eligible taxpayers can claim a percentage of their qualifying care expenses, covering care provided both in and outside the home, with the applicable percentage scaling based on income. Families earning $15,000 or less are eligible for a credit of up to 55 percent of qualifying expenses, with the percentage gradually reduced for higher earners. Qualifying expenses are capped on a sliding scale based on the number of
individuals requiring care, ranging from $3,000 for one qualifying individual up to $9,000 for families with five or more. For the working parents, caregivers, and families of this State who are already stretched thin by the rising cost of living, this credit acknowledges that quality care is not a luxury, it is an essential necessity that allows people to work,
contribute to our economy, and support their families, and I am pleased to see its inclusion.
“I am also proud to support the measures to clarify and expand veterans’ eligibility to receive benefits from the previously established Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption, which I co-sponsored in the Assembly. Under current law, the process of proving a service-connected disability in order to qualify for the exemption has been needlessly arduous, forcing veterans to navigate excessive red tape and bureaucratic hurdles to access the benefits they deserve. This new legislation streamlines that process, making it easier for disabled veterans to demonstrate their eligibility and access the property tax relief they are entitled to, and is a long overdue acknowledgment that we should never make it harder for those who have sacrificed for this country to receive the support they deserve.
Agriculture
“I was able to secure funding for Oneida County Cooperative Extension Bridge Program for the Mohawk Valley farmers and selling their products downstate, with a $125,000 allocation. The budget also takes steps to make an important and long-overdue fix for the farming communities of the Mohawk Valley and across the State by standardizing the definition of an ‘eligible farmer’ across the Agricultural Property Tax Credit, the Farm Workforce Retention Credit, the Farm Employer Overtime Credit, and the Credit for Farm Donations to Food Pantries. For years, inconsistent definitions across these tax credit programs have created confusion and uncertainty for farmers trying to determine their eligibility for the credits they depend on to keep their operations viable. By standardizing these definitions, we are removing this source of eligibility confusion so as to ensure consistent access to the tax credits they need to continue the vital operations which feed our families. “I also want to address the inclusion of the New York City Pied-à-Terre Tax in today’s legislation. I want to be straightforward with the people of the 119th District: this provision has no direct impact on our community. This is purely a New York City measure, targeting ultrawealthy non-residents who own luxury second homes in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the world. “To deliver direct tax relief to the servers, bartenders, and service and hospitality industry workforce who depend on tips as a core part of their earnings, this year’s budget allows individuals to exclude up to $25,000 of qualified tip income from their New York State adjusted gross income report, removing yet another unnecessary burden on some of our most financially stretched residents, and is a straightforward change which puts more money directly into the pockets of working people across the state.
Local Government
“After a particularly harsh winter, the need for investment in our local roads and bridges is apparent. This year’s budget allocates $698 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) . While this funding is necessary, it will not meet the needs that our highway superintendents request. “This year, $758 million was allocated for Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM), continuing critical state support for local governments as they face rising operational, infrastructure, and public service costs. An additional $150 million was included for Temporary Municipal Assistance for municipalities outside of New York City to assist in relieving immediate fiscal stress. While I am pleased for this inclusion, I want to stress the need for this funding to be incorporated into permanent AIM funding. “Again, I never feel that policy should be in our state budget bills. However, a budget is about compromise and I could not support all budget bills, but I always ask what funding should we cut?”
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