US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand warned that will probably be not possible for New York State to make up for tens of billions of {dollars} in federal funding that President Trump is threatening to chop. Friday, March 28, 2025.
Mike Groll/Workplace of Governor Kathy Hochul)
US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand issued a dire warning on Friday that will probably be not possible for New York State to backfill tens of billions of {dollars} in federal funding that President Trump is proposing to chop from its price range — with the April 1 deadline for passing the state spending plan quick approaching.
Precisely how a lot and how much federal funding the state might lose remains to be unclear, because the Republican majorities in each chambers of Congress proceed to hash out a spending bundle. The state can be prone to really feel the results of Trump’s Division of Authorities Effectivity slashing employees and assets at companies like Social Safety, the US Division of Well being and Human Providers, and the US Division of Schooling.
It doesn’t matter what the cuts finally seem like, Gillibrand mentioned New Yorkers are “going to suffer” and that there’s “not enough money in the world” to make up for the federal {dollars} that might yanked from the state.
“So much of your money goes to Washington, that’s supposed to come [back] here to pay for all social services,” Gillibrand mentioned. “That’s the way government is set up. It’s not possible to Trump proof our state budget.”
The senator mentioned there may be little Democrats like herself can do to cease Trump, provided that they’re within the minority in each chambers of Congress. She additionally took goal at Congressional Republicans for not going together with Trump’s funding cuts.
“Their adherence and loyalty to one man, President Trump, is at odds with their responsibility to their constituents,” Gillibrand mentioned.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has expressed related sentiments in latest days, additionally placing the onus on Congressional Republicans.
“Here’s the sad truth: there is no State in the nation that has the resources to backfill these sweeping cuts,” Hochul mentioned in a press release this week. “It’s up to New York’s elected officials who serve in the House majority to stand up and fight back.”
The governor proposes a state price range every year anticipating tens of billions of federal {dollars} to fund important authorities companies and capabilities corresponding to Medicaid, public colleges, and legislation enforcement.
The present over $237 billion state price range, which expires on Tuesday, consists of $96 billion in federal support — making up 40% of the spending plan. Federal account for roughly the identical proportion of Hochul’s proposed $252 billion price range for the approaching fiscal 12 months.
Whereas Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie on Thursday additionally expressed considerations about federal cuts, he mentioned the price range course of can be at an deadlock due to disagreements between legislative leaders and the governor over a number of coverage issues. These embody rollbacks Hochul is pushing to the state’s discovery legal guidelines, which had been modified in 2020, and increasing New York Metropolis’s authority to involuntarily hospitalize the severely mentally in poor health.
“Things are kind of, kind of at a standstill,” he instructed reporters. “We’re going to pass this debt service bill and the members will go home, do work in their districts and we’ll pick it back up next week.”
Heastie’s feedback point out there possible is not going to be a price range deal by the April 1 deadline.
