State lawmakers have agreed to a budget deal that raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour and cuts income taxes for middle-class New Yorkers.  The $150 billion budget plan also includes $500 million in funds for the immediate restoration of the Second Avenue Subway extension in East Harlem.  The agreement on the minimum wage raises it to $15 in New York City within three years. Some Republicans are criticizing the last-minute timing and don't feel like there's enough time to review the fine print.  What do you say? What's your reaction to the apparent deal to raise the minimum wage in New York City to $15 an hour by the end of 2018?  Do you welcome the restoration of funding for the uptown stretch of the Second Avenue Subway line?

 

Schiumo's Thoughts

We only had time for a few calls tonight as Governor Cuomo's budget announcement took up most of our live hour.  Consider it a public service.  New Yorkers can't complain about what's happening in Albany if they don't know what's happening in Albany. 

 

Your Thoughts

I don't know if it's just me....but can't everyone see what is happening here.... Of course the Government is all for raising Minium wages to $15.00 because it will get a lot of people off welfare! It will also cause a cascade of problems such as people like myself who go to college to earn degrees that work for peanut and then you turn around a see someone who did not even graduate high school making $15.00 per hour! Of course everyone with college and greater jobs such as Medical assistants, EMT's, Police Offices etc.... Will want at least $25.00 - $30.00 minimum wages in which they will deserve or you'd have everyone flipping burgers instead!

Michelle

 

I manage a business and we are pretty successful however we can never seem to catch up with rent/bills/taxes.  Especially payroll tax.

Jessica, midtown east

 

Just today I was talking to a friend about the gross mismanagement and theft of taxpayer dollars to pay for basic services.  CIvil Service workers; your policemen, firemen, school teachers and transit workers all help themselves to our taxpayer dollars without a concern for the financial consequences.  With record ridership and prepaid passes how on earth can the MTA be broke?  Property taxes keep going up with no end in sight. There are constant increases in water and Sewage charges. We need more fiscal minded management in office.

D.O.

 

Increasing charter school aid is like passing the raise in public school funding through a sieve.  Charter school networks are trying to undermine, then supplant real public schoools.

Robert, Bellerose

 

There is a lot more than anyone could have hoped for Could there be more probably not

Jerry

 

Since the State is reducing its budget allocation for Medicaid, which is an effective cut to Medicaid, what is the impact on NYC hospitals and services in NYC?  

Juan, Brooklyn

 

What does this "increase" mean for fair a contract with back pay for 25,000 CUNY faculty and staff?

Christa

 

His comments about giving SUNY and CUNY $85 million are ridiculous. He cut the CUNY budget by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Cynthia

 

WHAT ABOUT GOV CUOMO's PLANS FOR HOUSING,HOMELESS ABATEMENT,C.U.NY. FUNDING AND MARRIED COUPLES TAX BREAK STUNT. BY THE WAY,TAXPAYERS HAVE BEEN SUBSIDIZING THE WEALTH OF McDONALD's, BURGER KING,WENDY's and the MULTI~BILLIONAIRE WALTON FAMILY(WALMART) BY PAYING FOR EBT CARDS AND OTHER WELFARE BENEFITS THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES EASILY QUALIFY FORM

HERU UPPER EAST SIDE/MANHATTAN!

 

Unless I missed something, where will the money come from for this budget? Higher taxes? Living in NY State and especially in NY City IS an economic hardship, and our very high taxes DON'T help the situation any.

Sal #2, Flushing, NY

 

Profits of US companies are consistently high with ever more increasing concentration of economic power coming through mergers the benefits of which can be shared with employees through better wages besides customers via price reduction.

Humayun

 

There raises were pushed thru with hardly any review ..so why not continue there business as usual ..I'm sure theres a ton of money going to pet private projects ..that would not stand the smell test if not done at the last minute...i live in the disaster zone called 95 th street and 2 nd ave   ...its a never ending headache ..

MarkUES

 

I'll want to see who benefits from that tax cut before I say anything for or against the budget. But the $500 million for the Second Avenue Subway extension is wishful thinking -- none of these projects ever come in on budget.

Bruce, Upper West Side, Manhattan