State lawmakers outline one-house budget priorities, including AIM aid, election funding and ERIC membership

At a meeting of the New York State Legislature’s General Government and Local Assistance Subcommittee, state senators and assembly members outlined one‑house budget priorities and parallel policy proposals that they said aim to support local governments and election administration.

State Senator James Scoofus, cochair of the subcommittee, said the one‑house proposals would “continue to supplement AIM with temporary municipal assistance” and that lawmakers had “further advanced $10,000,000 to support our local boards of elections throughout the state.” He also listed proposals to join ERIC, a multi‑state consortium for voter roll accuracy, and said lawmakers planned several Article VII proposals.

The discussion emphasized direct financial support for localities. Assemblymember Brian Manktelow, speaking for the Assembly minority conference, said, “we did put $50,000,000 into the AIM funding,” and added that the one‑house allocation included “a hundred million dollars … for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act.” Assemblymember Patrick Burke, identifying himself as a recent chair of cities, said municipal leaders “are in trouble, and they really need help,” and urged prioritizing aid in the budget process.

Lawmakers briefly outlined several policy changes bundled with the budget proposals. Senator Scoofus said the one‑house package would advance a proposal to prohibit Industrial Development Agency benefits for e‑commerce projects and would seek updates to the state’s ABC laws. He also said the package includes pension proposals intended to assist recruitment and retention within the New York Police Department and an update to the automatic voter registration statute enacted years earlier.

Senators and assembly members introduced colleagues and designated recording secretaries for the subcommittee. Agencies listed to appear at the table included the Department of Tax and Finance, Division of the Budget, the Executive Chamber, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, the Department of Financial Services, Office of General Services, Office of Inspector General, Department of State, Office of Audit and Control, Division of Tax Appeals, Office of Information Technology Services, and the state Board of Elections.

No formal motions or roll‑call votes were recorded in the transcript provided. Lawmakers said budget negotiations will continue through the statutory process, with the Assembly and Senate working toward a budget by April 1.

Looking ahead, members emphasized cooperation between the houses as they refine the one‑house proposals and negotiate with the executive budget. No implementation details, agency appropriations beyond the headline amounts cited, or statutory citations for the listed proposals were provided during the remarks recorded in the transcript.