MI Responds: Scholars From the Manhattan Institute React to Governor Kathy Hochul’s $216 Billion Budget Plan
Scholars from the Manhattan Institute react to Governor Kathy Hochul’s $216 billion budget plan
Transit:
It is notable that Governor Hochul appears to be proceeding on the assumption that she'll formally approve congestion pricing at the end of this year. In that light, the governor should push the MTA to appoint the members of the traffic mobility board, which is supposed to determine critical issues such as prices, times of day, and exemptions, as soon as possible, so that New Yorkers can learn as early as possible how this program will work.
—Nicole Gelinas is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and a columnist at the New York Post.
K-12 Education:
Governor Hochul has wisely called for the continuation of mayoral control for city schools; there is no reasonable alternative to this governance structure. Her proposed budget will also mean that New York City’s new mayor will see unprecedented growth in funding for the Big Apple’s public school system. Under Hochul’s proposal, the city’s allotment of unrestricted foundation aid may increase by $400-$500 million after a $530 million increase in the current year. This is on top of the infusion of $7.3 billion in federal assistance to be used over four years.
What’s needed here is transparency. It would be nice if the city and state would come clean about how many students are actually attending city schools in each grade this year. It’s also vital that they commit to a firm requirement that the annual spring testing of students begin as planned in late March. Only with honest, up-to-date data on school attendance and performance can taxpayers see if the additional funding is being put to proper use.
—Ray Domanico is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where he directs education policy. His most recent report is The Transformation of Public High Schools in New York City.
Health Care:
In 2020, New York State spent $3,860 per resident on Medicaid—$790 more than any other state, and almost double the national average. Governor Hochul is making clear that her priority is to further increase the revenues of powerful medical provider interests, rather than to reduce the cost of healthcare in the state. She's adding fuel to healthcare inflation, rather than working to get costs under control.
—Chris Pope is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of the issue brief Ideas for the New Administration: Health Care.