Two of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s big proposals — the ban on mobile phones at schools and the rebate checks for New Yorkers’ taxes — may not be able to stand the state’s budget negotiations that began in earnest ahead of the April 1 deadline.
“What a radical concept, the idea that students should pay attention to their teachers!” Hochul said Tuesday in Albany that he had built her successful crusade against social media targeting minors.
What you need to know
According to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan, smartphone use will be banned on school premises for school day across New York
Hochul also faces pushbacks from some lawmakers over her proposal to issue tax rebate checks
The plan cuts taxes for middle-class New Yorkers and redistributing $3 billion in sales tax revenue to taxpayers through checks ranging from $300 to $500
State senators prefer a different strategy: they want to push out money to seniors over three years and expand tax credits to families and small businesses
“I’ve been asked by many lawmakers, administrators, and school principals to be heavy. This is a tough decision that makes it difficult for them to stand up to the school board and their parents,” she added.
According to Hochul’s plans, smartphone use is prohibited across New York on school grounds for a full day of school day.
“I’m committed to fighting for Bell from Bell. This is what experts say. This is what parents want. This is what teachers want,” she said.
There’s only one problem. She needs to convince the state legislature.
“The question is, does the school district have the flexibility to come up with their own uniform policy or one uniform policy across the state?” Democratic Congressman Karl Heaty said at another press conference with a reporter at the Capitol.
“There are districts where we went a little further and did different things that they felt were working, so we injected that into the conversation, and Democrat majority leader Andrea Stewart Carsns later said.
Hochul is also facing pushbacks from some lawmakers over her proposal to issue tax rebate checks. The plan cuts taxes for some middle-class New Yorkers and redistributes $3 billion in sales tax revenue to taxpayers through checks ranging from $300 to $500.
“We can’t guarantee that the money is there. I don’t have the habit of spending money that we don’t have. This is just one time,” she explained.
But state senators prefer a different strategy. They want to expel money for older people over three years and expand the tax credit to families and small businesses.
“We wanted to target it to seniors for three years, rather than offering a $300 check. We’re focusing on small businesses by administering family tax credits over the same period and reducing unemployment insurance tax employers,” Stewart Kausins said.
Congress is also forking over billions of dollars to cover future MTA projects, putting the brakes on changing evidence, what is known as the discovery deadline for passing on unwilling commitment standards for people with mental disabilities.
“We’re seeing the outcome of not funding capital plans for decades to roost how our system is in terms of more failures right now. I’m now seeing cars happen on the R-line where they’re broken more often. We need to invest!” state Sen. Andrew Goonaldes, a Brooklyn Democrat, said.
Hochul and lawmakers are also concerned about potential cuts in federal funding from the Trump administration, but have yet to make any changes to the proposed financial plan.
