The New York comptroller says the Cuomo administration's budget proposal shows ongoing improvements in the state's financial position but lacks funding details for large, long-term initiatives to house the homeless and upgrade mass transit networks downstate.
Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's analysis puts spending at $154.6 billion in the coming year, including federal money for Superstorm Sandy recovery and health care reform, plus capital spending from windfall bank settlements.
He says more clarity is needed on how to pay for it all, saying state-supported debt would rise by nearly $10 billion over five years.
Budget officials say state-related debt has been cut by $2.9 billion since Gov. Andrew Cuomo took office, down to $52.7 billion, with the sixth straight balanced budget proposal while limiting spending growth to two percent.
