Opinion: Promises made, Promises kept

Every year, one of the main goals of elected officials is to pass the state budget. The state budget is how we fund everything in our state, from our busy highways to our local food banks. Without a budget, many of our local organizations are left without the vital assistance they need to be successful.

In the state budget, there are several forms of local aid that are allocated to fund our communities. One of the most important forms of this funding is known as bullet aid. While the name may sound odd, the term actually comes from the old practice of inserting individual aid items as “bullet points” in the state budget. Unlike other kinds of funding that are based on specific factors such as student enrollment, poverty levels and local wealth, bullet aid allows lawmakers to directly target which organizations should receive extra funding, regardless of those factors.

Every year, these allocations are negotiated during budget talks and directed to particular districts. It is sometimes also referred to as legislative grants or special aid. That’s why I’m proud to announce that I’ve secured much-needed funding for our local school districts and libraries in the Hudson Valley.

In addition to this funding, as a part of the state budget, I proudly voted to make meaningful changes to the Tier 6 pension program to improve benefits and retirement for our state’s teachers, police officers, firefighters and correction officers. I also supported a sweeping package of auto insurance reforms aimed at combating fraud, limiting legal loopholes and lowering premiums for consumers. Additionally, I was able to throw my support behind a proposal in the budget to give a two-percent increase in Foundation Aid for our public schools, as well as increase funding for our state’s pre-K programs.

While parts of the budget were full of unchecked spending and bad policy, I was glad to be able to show my support for the parts that actually help our community. My goal going into this budget, as it is with any proposal that comes across my desk, is to make decisions that will encourage people to stay in our state and help them thrive in our community. That’s my promise now, and I’ll continue the work of being the Hudson Valley’s voice in Albany as your favorite assemblyman!

Karl Brabenec
NYS 98th District