Albany, NY – This year’s budget, while characterized by burdensome delays, increased growth in spending, and a deluge of policy inclusions which led me to be unable to support all aspects of the legislation, does deliver real progress for the people and residents of the State and the 119^th District. Below, I have highlighted meaningful investments that I fought to be included in the final enacted budget.

Funding Advocated for by Assemblywoman Buttenschon Includes:

Healthcare & Mental Health:

• $500 million in operating funding for financially distressed hospitals
• $240 million in additional support for nursing homes
• $155.6 million for the Medical Indemnity Fund (MIF)
• $100 million to support the Home Care Worker Quality Program
• $18 million in direct & additional support for assisted living programs and hospice care
• $1.27 billion for community mental health residential programs
• $500 million for adult community mental health services
• $18 million for the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses
• $3 million for suicide prevention efforts for veterans, first responders, law enforcement, and corrections officers
• $3.1 million for eating disorder programs and expanded treatment access

Education & Libraries

• $471,405,459 in total school aid funding specifically allocated for districts within the 119th Assembly District, a 4.33% increase from 2025 (https://www.budget.ny.gov/pubs/archive/fy27/ex/local/index.html)
• $1.6 billion for Universal Pre-K, an increase of $561 million
• Pushes-back the Electric Bus Mandate for new purchases by 5 years, from 2027-2032, and the deadline to transition entire fleets from 2035 to 2040.
• $93,700,000 in funding for costs associated with schools for the blind, deaf, and students with disabilities, including the Rome School for the Deaf
• $106.4 million in support for public libraries
• $44 million for Library Construction Aid

Higher Education

• $100 million for SUNY research facilities
• $400,000 in Direct State Tax Support for SUNY Polytechnic Institute to continue undergraduate tuition and fee freezes; $4.47 million allocated since FY 2023
• $1,503,000 in operating funds for SUNY Polytechnic Institute to strengthen academic excellence

Highway & Water Infrastructure:

• $698 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS)
• $525 million for lead removal and abatement
• $150 million for PAVE-NY
• $28 million in water quality improvements

Local Governments:

• $758 million was allocated for Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM)
• $250 million to support Raise the Age
• $150 million for Temporary Municipal Assistance
• $50 million in assistance to Counties
• $22.5 million for zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums

Outdoor Recreation & Parks:

• $28.8 million to support municipal parks
• $20 million for NYSWIMS
• $20 million for NY-PLAYS

Arts & Culture

• $120,600 for the Stanley Theatre in Utica
• $95,000 for Rome Community Theater
• $86,094 for Sculpture Space, Inc in Utica
• $66,500 for Uptown Theater for Creative Arts, Inc in Utica

Environmental

• $750 million for Clean Water Funding
• $23 million for municipal recycling efforts
• $26 million for the Oceans and Great Lakes Initiative
• $1.5 million for the Mohawk River Action Plan

Veterans:

• A total of $25,190,000 to directly support and enhance veterans’ services across the state, including:
• $2,380,000 in aid to municipal veterans’ service agencies
• $100,000 to support Utica Center for Development services and expenses, as well as $300,000 in reappropriations
• $8 million for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer to Peer Services Program, ($109,200 for Oneida County)

First Responders:

• $65 million to support statewide interoperable communications for first responders
• $20 million total in capital grants for volunteer fire departments
• $14 million in grants for local sheriff’s offices and law enforcement
• $10.5 million for EMS administration
• $300,000 for volunteer firefighters and emergency services recruitment and retention

Agriculture:

• $50 million for Nourish NY
• $27 million to protect the farmland that is the backbone of our regional economy
• $1 million for the Beginning Farmer Grant Program
• $150,000 for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County Bridge Program

Childcare:

• This year’s budget includes a total of $3,067,324,000 to support and expand the provision of childcare statewide, including:
• $2,213,095,000 to be distributed to municipalities
• $753,637,000 in provider service & expense related Child Care Block Grants
• $5,000,000 to offset the cost of childcare for working families
• $3,183,000 in professional & workforce development initiatives
• $4,016,000 in facility quality improvement grants
• $5,050,000 to support afterschool, daycare, out-of-school, and workplace programs

While this budget is far from perfect, the investments secured for the 119^th District, from our hospitals and schools to our veterans and local governments reflect my ongoing commitment to fighting for the resources our neighborhoods deserve.

For more information on any of these topics, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office, or visit the link https://www.budget.ny.gov/ .