Governor Hochul’s Budgetary Strategies Lack Transparency and Accountability
Governor Kathy Hochul’s budgetary strategies have come under scrutiny, with state comptroller Tom DiNapoli warning that she is keeping billions of dollars in state outlays out of the main budgeting process. This lack of transparency and accountability is concerning, as it prevents vital independent oversight.
In his latest report, DiNapoli raises legitimate concerns over several new proposed budget items. One such concern is Hochul’s exclusion of $160 million in contracting from vetting rules. This means that the governor would have sole discretion over how this money is spent, without any checks and balances in place. Additionally, there is an additional $3.3 billion in spending without competitive bidding, further raising concerns about potential favoritism and corruption.
This is not the first time that Hochul has engaged in such practices. In 2022, it was reported that she used her pandemic emergency powers to suspend state contracting rules and purchase overpriced COVID test kits from a campaign donor. This raises the question of whether she plans to reward favorite donors again with lucrative state business.
Furthermore, Hochul has repeatedly extended her pandemic-era powers, preventing the Legislature and the state comptroller from scrutinizing any of her COVID-related spending. This lack of oversight is deeply problematic and goes against the principles of transparency and accountability that Hochul promised.
Another issue highlighted by DiNapoli is Hochul’s budget’s restrictions on his oversight of certain state bond issuances. This conflicts with the comptroller’s constitutional obligation to protect against excessive borrowing that burdens New York taxpayers with high levels of debt and interest costs.
The governor’s circumvention of state debt limits is also a cause for concern. This has prompted DiNapoli to demand a “binding constitutional state debt reform to restore accountability to state taxpayers.” It is clear that Hochul’s budget proposals do not align with her promises of transparency and rigorous budgeting.
It is commendable that DiNapoli has flagged these gimmicks and called for greater accountability. The Legislature should take heed of his advice and reject any proposals that restrict his oversight or potentially harm taxpayers. The pandemic is over, and there is no excuse for hiding spending and debt, engaging in improper vetting of contracts, or channeling taxpayer dollars to friends, allies, and donors.
In conclusion, Governor Hochul’s budgetary strategies lack transparency and accountability. It is crucial that the Legislature and the state comptroller assert their oversight and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly and in the best interest of the public. The governor’s actions raise concerns about favoritism, corruption, and excessive debt, and it is imperative that these issues are addressed to restore trust in the budgeting process.
