WPCNR'S ADAM IN ALBANY. By State Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley of the 89th District. May 28, 2004: The Assembly and Senate recently agreed on budget reform. It requires a two-year appropriation for education aid. This will help schools stay a step ahead by finally giving them the information they need, when they need it. The reforms will also create a reserve fund in the state constitution to ensure sufficient funds exist for the payment of education aid in May and June of each year.
The plan includes moving the start of New York’s fiscal year from April 1 to
May 1 to allow for better revenue and spending projections and instituting provisions to instill greater accountability in the process.
These reforms will also help ensure fair, on-time state budgets that meet the needs of New Yorkers through better long-term and annual planning, closer oversight of spending, and more public input.
The measures require a constitutional amendment, and as such must be approved by the Legislature two years in a row before being turned over to the people for final say in November 2005 (A.11231, passed Assembly and Senate 5/24/04). A second bill must be passed by the Legislature to put the plan into effect (A.11232).
This legislation will help end the problems that have plagued our state budget for years, beginning a new era of openness, accountability and timeliness. The benefits will be felt across the state.
I am proud to have sponsored the bi-partisan budget reform legislation which recently passed the Assembly.
