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State lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul are set to miss another deadline Monday as key issues like criminal justice reforms and public funding for the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium in New York’s fiscal 2023 budget are still not resolved.
After missing the Friday budget deadline, members of the two chambers and Hochul are unlikely to seal the deal on a budget by the end of Monday. Democratic lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly have been told by legislative leaders to stay in Albany at least through mid-week, with some predicting they will be in town through Friday to iron out details on the more than $216 billion budget.
Sources in both the Senate and Assembly told The Post they still haven’t yet reached a deal on any central points of contention during budget talks — amending the controversial 2019 bail reform, the Bills’ stadium, trial evidence disclosure changes and allowing restaurants to sell takeout and delivery alcoholic beverages.
Assembly Democrats met for two hours in person in Albany at 6 p.m. in a private conference to discuss outstanding issues, with multiple unnamed members telling The Post they discussed changes to New York’s discovery law.
The governor’s office and criminal justice advocates, and public defenders on Sunday had a call to discuss the changes to discovery reform, sources said.
“There has been some improvements on discovery reform, and so we’re hoping that we’re able to get across that finish line,” Assemblywoman Latrice Walker said Monday morning on PIX 11. “There are some complex issues that we are continuing to grapple with … but we are still cranking away.”
Senate Democrats, however, were not in Albany over the weekend, state Sen. Joe Addabbo told The Post.
“I’ve packed through Friday,” said Addabbo (D-Queens).
“I wish I packed a Bible, ‘cause I think we need lots of prayers up here,” he quipped.
Senate Democrats are expected to meet Monday, sources said.
Though the state comptroller’s office said last week the budget must be signed by 4 p.m. Monday “to avoid any issues with upcoming payrolls,” Assembly Democrats were also told in conference that a “budget extender” that lasts at least through Wednesday will be passed to give them time to negotiate a deal on the spending plan.
“We will be passing an extender today,” Walker (D-Brooklyn) said on a morning show of the measure that extends the prior year’s budget to avoid late paychecks to state employees.
On legalizing alcoholic drinks — which Hochul proposed during her first state of the state address — a source familiar with negotiations said making the practice legal permanently is now off the table, and lawmakers are hashing out how to regulate food that is ordered alongside booze.
On bail reform, lawmakers and Hochul have not yet finalized a likely compromise on her 10-point public safety plan that would add to the list of crimes that are bail-eligible.
And lawmakers are still up in arms about the Buffalo Bills stadium agreement — under which New York state is set to dedicate $600 million in the budget for the venue’s construction, and Erie County will cover $250 million.
When the subject of Bills stadium deal came up, one member told The Post they heard booing, and they have not yet engaged in substantive conversation about it.
“It’s crystal clear that Governor Hochul made promises to the Pegulas and she’s focused on delivering for billionaires living in Florida,” state Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Queens) fumed to The Post, referring to Bills owners Terry Pegula and his wife, Kim Pegula, who records show have voted from an address in Boca Raton since 2007.
“Instead, she could be a hero in this moment, repurposing the new Buffalo Billion toward protecting our elderly and children.”
The thumbs down came days after state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins revealed Thursday she was blindsided by the announcement of the deal earlier in the week.
The politicians aren’t alone in their disapproval.
A majority of likely voters oppose having New York’s public dollars finance the construction of a new Buffalo Bills stadium, according to a new poll. The survey found that 55% of likely voters disapproved of the stadium deal while only 22% approved of the plan
Meanwhile, the governor hasn’t appeared in an event publicized to the press ahead of time in several days. On Saturday morning, she attended an event in East Greenbush near Albany, according to her Twitter page, but her office did not alert the media of it beforehand.
Sources speculated she’s attempting to avoid talking about the budget amid a failure to agree on a deal on time.
Hochul’s minimal public presence comes as a new poll shows she has just a slim 4 percentage-point lead over likely Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island in November’s general election.
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