With a state budget deal remaining out of reach, Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers have until noon Monday to pass a temporary extension or risk delaying paychecks for tens of thousands of state workers, according to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
DiNapoli sent a letter on Thursday warning Hochul of the impending deadline, which would ensure the comptroller’s office has enough time to begin processing direct deposits for 83,000 employees at state agencies due to be paid next week.
“To avoid any possible disruption to state employees, passage of the budget or an extender must occur no later than noon on Monday, April 10 for the Wednesday, April 12 administration payroll to proceed without risk of delay,” DiNapoli wrote.
Hochul, a Democrat, and legislative leaders have already blown past the state’s April 1 budget deadline. They’ve been unable to agree on some of the governor’s major priorities, including her housing plan and a proposal to further scale back the state’s 2019 cash bail reforms.
This past Monday, lawmakers approved a one-week budget “extender,” which essentially pushed back the deadline for a week and gave the state authority to pay its bills and payroll. The extension allowed the state to pay its 57,000 employees at regional institutions last week, as scheduled.
This week, the state’s “administration” employees are due to be paid. Those are the workers at state agencies, most of whom are based in Albany and New York City.
On Wednesday, Hochul seemed to suggest a full budget deal likely won’t be in place by Monday, citing the Passover and Easter holidays. That means lawmakers will likely have to pass another temporary extension on Monday.
“The confluence of those [holiday] dates at this time doesn't always happen,” Hochul said. “It didn't happen last year. But because of that you sort of lose some time. And so we'll be able to pick up again in earnest after the holidays.”
Mike Murphy, a spokesperson for the Senate’s Democratic majority, said lawmakers “hope to work with the executive to ensure we meet the [Monday] deadline.”
A spokesperson for Hochul, Hazel Crampton-Hays, said the governor is working with lawmakers to keep extend the budget deadline beyond Monday.
"Governor Hochul is focused on delivering a budget that makes New York safer, more affordable, and more livable and is responsive to the needs of New Yorkers. We have been working around the clock to make progress toward a final agreement, and will work with the legislature to extend the budget deadline on Monday." Crampton-Hays said.
One group of state workers who won’t be paid: the lawmakers themselves.
Under state law, the comptroller is mandated to withhold pay from the 213 legislators until a full budget is passed — at which point their paychecks are released. In his letter, DiNapoli confirmed that would be the case next week, when lawmakers were originally due to be paid, unless a full budget is passed before then.
Update: This story was updated to include a comment from the governor's office.
