ECO-LOGIC
Greening New York’s Budget
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What's the Issue?
Every year, New York State passes a budget that includes funding for environmental, community, and climate change initiatives. And each year, as costs increase and other issues clamor for attention and limited dollars, we must make the case to the legislature in Albany, and the Governor, that a clean, healthy environment is paramount to quality of life in New York.
The first quarter of each year, we spend a lot of time in conversation with partner organizations and those at the state capitol, working to ensure that money is allocated to important programs that help us in our ongoing efforts to defend the valley.
What's Our Vision?
We are proud that New York ranks in the top three states for spending on environmental initiatives, but we are thinking bigger. We want New York, and especially the Hudson Valley, to set the standard for clean air and water, land protection, environmental justice, and climate resilience.
What's the Status
We are pleased that the 2023 budget maintains investments in environmental programs and enhances state agency capacity to deliver critical environmental services.
Important aspects of the final state budget include:
- $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund
- $202.5 million for State Parks capital improvements
- Funding for 365 new state employees across multiple agencies to implement programs associated with the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Green Jobs Bond Act that passed with overwhelming public support last November
- $289,000 to the City of Kingston and $33,000 to the Town of Ulster to address decreased tax revenue from creation of Sojourner Truth State Park. Scenic Hudson partnered with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Palisades Interstate Park Commission to create the 520-acre park and maintain it under a five-year agreement.
Know the lingo
Appropriations
After the governor proposes her executive budget to the New York State Legislature, there is healthy debate and discussion about it. The final decisions made by the Legislature about how to allocate funds are called appropriations.
State Legislature
The New York State Legislature consists of two houses: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Senate currently has 63 members, and the Assembly has 150 members.
Executive Budget
In New York, the governor submits a budget plan for the coming fiscal year to the state legislature. It is called an executive budget because the governor’s office falls under the executive branch of the state’s government.
What can you do now?
SAY THANK YOU!
Like all of us, our elected officials like to hear it when they’re doing a good job. So until we get things underway for the 2024 budget campaign, CALL THEM, EMAIL THEM, or TWEET AT THEM just to say THANK YOU for passing a budget that protects parks and open spaces, supports clean water and fresh air, and takes steps to stop climate change.
- GOVERNOR HOCHUL: Email her here, or tweet at her @GovKathyHochul
- STATE SENATOR: Find your Senator here
- STATE ASSEMBLY: Find your Assembly member here
ADD YOUR VOICE! We bring the voices of the Hudson Valley directly to the decision makers and policy makers shaping our future.
