ALBANY, NY (WSYR-TV) - Three more hearings will be held next week in Albany as legislators hope to pass the 2013-2014 New York state budget a week early this year.
Highlights of the plan include:
- Eliminating the $1.3 million dollar budget gap with no new taxes or fees.
- Increase education aid by $889-million (an average increase of $300 a student)
- Raise minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $8.75 per hour.
Here in Central New York, some local legislators told NewsChannel 9 that their top concern is bringing more business back to the area to stimulate the economy and create much-needed jobs.
"It’s now getting to the critical stage so hopefully the policies we enact through the budget to get businesses profitable again to make sure that the economy is in good shape and people are hiring and those people that are hired are paying taxes so we can provide more for people,” said State Senator John DeFrancisco.
The state legislature must pass a state budget by April 1
st.
