Governor Presents State of the State and Executive Budget

On Tuesday, Governor Cuomo gave his ninth State of the State address which he coined his “Justice Agenda” to ensure the promise of full, true justice for all. This presentation also included the 2019-20 Executive Budget proposal. Major highlights of the $178 billion dollar spending plan include the legalization of adult-use marijuana, a nearly billion dollar increase in education aid, congestion pricing in NYC, and making the property tax cap permanent. The plan stays within the self-imposed 2% spending growth in year-over-year spending.

Governor Cuomo said: “This year, we think it’s the year to fully enact a justice agenda, in the broadest sense of the word justice. Social justice, economic justice, and racial justice. And that this is the time to do it. We face real challenges in the state of New York. We have a federal government that is assaulting our values, our liberties, our rights, and our economy. Literally our economy. The federal cuts to our budget would be devastating and the federal effect on the values and liberties on New Yorkers would be devastating. And this is the moment in government that we are leading. And it is up to us to bring this state forward. We have no allies who are going to help us. The federal government is not going to help us. It’s up to this legislative body to lead this state at this crucial time.”