New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released his $152.3 billion executive budget proposal Tuesday night. The Governor’s briefing materials point out that the increase in this year’s proposal is once again less than 2% – and we note that this is accomplished in part by funding programs such as Rural Preservation “off budget”. RPC base funding of $3.539 million is provided by sweeping “excess revenues” from the Mortgage Insurance fund included in an Article VII bill rather that including it in one of the five regular appropriations bills. The MIF funding for RPC will be supplemented by the RPC’s share of the final $6 million installment of JP Morgan Chase settlement funds. Budget negotiations in 2016 resulted in $2 million in additional funds for RPC/NPC. Advocates will be working to have supplemental funds included in this year’s budget as well.
NEW YORK STATE RURAL ADVOCATES 