Hochul maintains New York's budget despite federal funding concerns

Governor Kathy Hochul is warning New Yorkers about potential cuts to federal funding for vital services like Medicaid and school lunch programs. With the state budget deadline approaching on April 1, she highlighted that New York could struggle to maintain these programs if federal funding decreases. Hochul has no plans to reduce the state's $252 billion budget. She pointed out that about one-third of New York's budget relies on federal money. During a press conference, she emphasized that cuts from Washington could harm education and health care. "A lot of these kids are gonna have their stomachs growling throughout the day if they don’t have that money," she said. Some lawmakers believe Hochul should take a more aggressive stance. They have suggested withholding New York's federal tax payments until the federal government responds. Assemblyman Micah Lasher argued for a stronger fight against what he described as "the accelerating creep of fascism" from the Trump administration. These lawmakers have proposed bills that would allow recently fired federal employees to work in state jobs and recover some of their lost pensions. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the state comptroller said they are reviewing the proposed legislation. In addition to budget concerns, Hochul is working on various initiatives, including banning cellphones in schools and changing mental health laws. She is also focused on improving evidence sharing for prosecutors and investing billions in transportation fixes. Hochul acknowledged that negotiations have been slow due to differing opinions among the 213 members of the Democratic-led legislature.