“We are at a pivotal moment in New York as we continue to recover and move forward, and many residents are still struggling to make ends meet amid record inflation squeezing their wallets. This budget rises to the occasion to lift up our communities by suspending the state gas tax, expanding childcare assistance and boosting the Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Public safety is a top concern for New Yorkers, and I’m happy to see that this spending plan includes support for Albany County’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program.

“Additionally, we must continue to find ways to support our small businesses and reinstituting alcohol-to-go sales is a critical lifeline for restaurants and taverns that still haven’t fully bounced back after the economic shutdown. I also want to thank Governor Hochul and legislative leaders for ending the diversion of county sales tax dollars for AIM and distressed hospital funding, which will bring more than $2 million annually back to Albany County alone, as well as increasing funding for local health departments that have been on the front lines of the COVID pandemic.”