>> TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M DAN CLARK.

HEARINGS ON GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL'S $227 BILLION BUDGET PLAN BEGAN THIS WEEK.

KICKING OFF THE NEXT TWO MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE LEGISLATURE.

AND IT IS A LONG PROCESS.

LAWMAKERS WILL SIT THROUGH 13 HEARINGS OVER THE NEXT MONTH AND EACH HEARING CAN LAST ALL DAY FOR SOME GOING FOR TEN HOURS OR MORE.

THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HEAR FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THESE HEARINGS.

THEY INVITE COMMISSIONERS FROM STATE AGENCIES, INDUSTRY LEADERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO TESTIFY ON WHAT THEY THINK SHOULD BE IN THE STATE BUDGET, BUT IT'S ALSO A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR LAWMAKERS TO QUESTION STATE LEAD NEARS PUBLIC.

LIKE HOW SENATE DEPUTY MAJORITY LEADER MIKE GIANARIS, A DEMOCRAT, TRIED ASKING THE STATE'S ACTING 2 CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE STATE'S HIGHEST COURT, THE COURT OF APPEALS.

THE JUDGE, TAMIKO AMAKER, SAID SHE HAD NO ANSWERS FOR HIM, WHICH PROMPTED THIS EXCHANGE ON TUESDAY.

>> I'M SORRY.

>> I BARELY HAD THE CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.

>> I'M SORRY.

>> FILIBUSTERING LIKE A LEGISLATOR.

I WILL MOVE ON FROM THAT ONE.

LET ME MOVE ON FROM THAT ONE.

>> NO, NO, NO.

>> BUT SENATOR >> SORRY MIKE.

SORRY MIKE.

>> I WILL JUST SAY THIS IN CLOSING, THAT THE COURT SYSTEM HAS A REAL PROBLEM.

IN JUST THE FEW MINUTES I'VE BEEN HERE, THEY HAVE PROVIDED NO ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS OF WHO RECEIVES TRAINING, WHAT THE TRAINING MATERIALS ARE, WHAT THE VOTE FOR ACTING CHIEF WAS, WHETHER THERE'S STILL AN ONGOING EXPENSIVE PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR THE SAFETY OF FORMER JUDGES.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE STORY FROM FRANK-- >> TIME'S UP.

>> BUT IN FACT, THERE IS A SERIOUS CORRUPTION PROBLEM WITHIN THE COURT OF APPEALS, WHERE JUDGES ARE RECEIVING PUBLIC BENEFITS AND NOT REPORTING THEM.

3 >> MIKE, I'M SORRY.

>> YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> I THINK THERE'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM, JUDGE.

>> SORRY.

>> BUT THESE HEARINGS ARE ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST HEAR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON TOP ISSUES.

TAKE CHARTER SCHOOLS.

GOVERNOR HOCHUL WANTS TO ADD MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY THIS YEAR, WHICH A LOT OF DEMOCRATS OPPOSE, AND THIS WEEK, LAWMAKERS WERE ABLE TO BRING THAT PLAN TO STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER BETTY ROSA, WHO IS INDEPENDENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

HERE'S WHAT SHE SAID.

>> IF IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIMENT, THEN LET ME SEE KNIT PLACES THAT EMBRACE IT OTHER THAN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IS HUGE, BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE KNIT SOME OF THE PLACES THAT YOU AND I WOULD PROBABLY SAY IF IT'S SUCH A GREAT EXPERIMENT, SHOW IT TO ME AND WHY AREN'T OTHER PEOPLE EMBRACING IT?

GOOD THINGS ARE EMBRACED BY EVERYBODY.

>> AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL SET THE STAGE FOR NEGOTIATIONS.

AFTER THE HEARINGS, LEGISLATIVE LEADERS WILL SIT DOWN WITH HOCHUL AND WORK OUT A FINAL 4 STATE BUDGET.

ONE OF THEM IS ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE, A DEMOCRAT FROM THE BRONX.

WE SPOKE THIS WEEK ABOUT HOCHUL'S BUDGET PLAN, THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND MORE.

SPEAKER HEASTIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BACK.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> OH, DAN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> OF COURSE, ANYTIME.

SO I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR.

BUT FIRST, I WANT TO BRING IT BACK INTO THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU ALL ARE PLANNING TO DO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE ASSEMBLY OVER THESE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS?

>> YOU KNOW, I'D SAY DAN, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, OUR FOCUS IS ALWAYS ON-- IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SUPPORTING OUR FAMILIES' FIRST AGENDA, TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND YOU KNOW, I'D SAY THE TWO BIGGEST, AMONGST-- YOU KNOW, AMONGST ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, ISSUES OF SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND AFFORDABILITY, I THINK ARE TWO OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I THINK ARE ON PEOPLE'S MINDS, AND I THINK THAT WANTING PEOPLE-- YOU KNOW, BEING SAFE AND FEELING SAFE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

YOU KNOW, NEW YORK REMAINS 5 ONE OF THE SAFEST BIG STATES IN THE NATION.

NEW YORK CITY REMAINS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CITIES BUT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE.

YOU THINK WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES AND PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION.

PERCEPTION IS REALITY.

AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT TIES INTO THIS ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN NEW YORK AND PARTICULARLY IN NEW YORK CITY.

I THINK WE-- YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE OVERNIGHT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO START TO FIGURE THOSE THINGS OUT ON AFFORDABILITY AND REALLY START TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK SO PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN RAISING THEIR FAMILIES HERE AND STAYING HERE.

>> SO PUBLIC SAFETY AND AFFORDABILITY ARE ALSO TWO OF THE GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES THIS YEAR AS WE SAW IN HER STATE OF THE STATE AND HER BUDGET ADDRESS, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

DO YOU THINK HER AGENDA GOES FAR ENOUGH ON THOSE ISSUES?

>> WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THIS.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN A GOVERNOR'S BUDGET WAS PASSED, YOU KNOW, WORD FOR WORD AND DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.

THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE CONSTITUTION, THEY PROPOSE, THE LEGISLATURE DISPOSES.

WE'LL HAVE THE CONVERSATION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

6 WE'LL COME UP WITH WHERE WE BELIEVE WE ARE.

THE SENATE WILL COME UP WITH WHERE THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE.

AND WE'LL JUST NEGOTIATE BETWEEN THE THREE ARE.

THERE'S THREE PIECES OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT AND IN THE END, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

>> YOU KNOW, ONE TOPIC THAT HAS CAUSED SOME CONTROVERSY IS CHARTER SCHOOLS.

THE GOVERNOR HAS A PLAN TO ESSENTIALLY ADD MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO NEW YORK CITY BY SHIFTING A REGIONAL CAP, GETTING RID OF THAT AND THEN REISSUING SO-CALLED ZOMBIE CHARTERS.

YOU SAID TO REPORTERS A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT MAY BE A DIFFICULT ISSUE FOR YOUR CONFERENCE BECAUSE IN THE ASSEMBLY, DEMOCRATS HAVE TRADITIONALLY LEANED MORE TOWARDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAN CHARTER SCHOOLS.

CAN YOU GIVE US MORE CONTEXT?

WHY MIGHT THIS BE HARDER FOR YOUR MEMBERS?

>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF US, PARTICULARLY IN THE ASSEMBLY, WE WERE EDUCATED THROUGH PUBLIC THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

FOR ME, I HAVE BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL.

SO WE JUST WANT THE SCHOOL BE ABLE TO GET GO THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY GAVE US AND FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING OUT THERE, WE WANT THEM TO GROW UP AND BE WHATEVER IT IS THEY CHOOSE TO BE IN LIFE, AND SO WE JUST FEEL THE 7 FOCUS OF THAT IS THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE CONFERENCE'S FOCUS HAS BEEN AND REMAINS.

>> THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO INCREASE SCHOOL AID FOR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY $3.1 BILLION.

IT IS, AS SHE SAYS, THE LARGEST-EVER INCREASE IN ONE YEAR IN SCHOOL AID.

I CAN SEE A SITUATION WHERE THAT MIGHT BE KIND OF A TRADEOFF FOR THIS CHARTER ISSUE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> UM, I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE THIS WAS A THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT TO DEAL WITH THE-- THE CAMPAIGN FOR FISCAL EQUITY LAWSUIT.

>> RIGHT.

>> NOW ALMOST I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S LATE BUT YOU KNOW, FINALLY, YOU KNOW, THE DEBT IS GOING TO BE PAID THAT THE COURT SAID THAT WE HAD AN UNDERFUNDED EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, SO NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A TRADE.

I THINK THE ISSUE OF CHARTERS WILL BE A STAND-ALONE ISSUE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S GOING TO PUT FORWARD.

BUT I DON'T THINK SHE'S GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T GIVE ME CHARTERS, I'M GOING TO CUT THE EDUCATION FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN AGREED UPON.

THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF A THREE-YEAR INSTALLMENT, WHICH THE GOVERNOR WAS A PART OF FOR PARTS TWO AND THREE.

8 >> SHE ALSO HAS AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL AROUND FUNDING FOR THE MTA, NEW YORK CITY SUBWAYS.

SO THIS PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE A FEW MOVING PARTS.

ONE WOULD RAISE A CERTAIN TAX, APPAREL TAX FOR BUSINESSES IN THE SUBURBS AND ALSO TAKE A SHARE OF CASINO REVENUE FROM THESE NEW NEW YORK CITY CASINOS TO GO TOWARD THE MTA.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S A GOOD SOLUTION FOR THE MTA'S FINANCIAL WOES?

JANNO LIEBER, HEAD OF THE MTA, HAS WARNED THAT THE MTA MAY BE AT A DEFICIT MOVING FORWARD.

>> LET ME START FROM THE PREMISE OF I DID-- WE NEED TO GET THE MTA.

IT'S MONEY IF WE WANT NEW YORK CITY AND THE METROPOLITAN AREA TO GET BACK TO WHERE IT WAS PRE-PANDEMIC, WE WON'T GET THERE WITHOUT A ROBUST AND GREAT TRANSIT SYSTEM, AS ONCE WAS ALWAYS TOLD, THE MTA IS LIKE THE ARTERY SYSTEM OF THE BODY OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA.

SO WITHOUT THAT, WE CAN'T BE THE MECCA OF THE WORLD.

SO I START THERE SAYING WE HAVE TO GET THE MTA THE FINANCING THAT IT NEEDS, BUT YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THERE.

YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR LAID DOWN A MARKER AND THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOW.

WE'LL LOOK.

WE MIGHT LIKE SOME THINGS AND WE MIGHT DISLIKE SOME THINGS.

I DO THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO GET THE MTA THE MONEY.

>> YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT 9 I THINK YOU MAY FAVOR IN HER BUDGET PROPOSAL IS AN IDEA TO TIE MINIMUM WAGE TO INFLATION.

THERE'S DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHETHER WE SHOULD RAISE IT FIRST AND THEN TIE IT, OR IF WE SHOULD JUST TIE IT TO INFLATION MOVING FORWARD.

I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SEEMED SUPPORTIVE OF A MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE IN THE PAST.

JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, I THINK YOU MADE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT PROPOSAL?

>> I THINK MOST THINGS SHOULD ALWAYS BE SET TO INFLATION SO THEY DON'T BECOME PART OF THE POLITICAL VOLLEYBALL THAT HAPPENED OFTEN THROUGHOUT GOVERNMENT.

YOU KNOW, AS PRICES GO UP,-AND THAT'S ONE REASON, DAN, THAT WE'RE IN THIS POSITION.

FAR TOO OFTEN, PRICES HAVE INCREASED AND PEOPLE'S INCOMES HAVE NOT INCREASED AT THAT SAME MARGIN.

JUST FOR INSTANCE, IN NEW YORK CITY, WE HAVE NOT RAISED THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15.

IT'S BEEN $15 FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.

THIS IS WHERE WE'LL HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR.

I THINK THE FACT THAT WE ALL BELIEVE THE MINIMUM WAGE SHOULD BE INCREASED IS A GOOD THING, AND AS THEY SAY, AS THE TIDE RISES, ALL BOATS RISE, TOO.

SO WHEN YOU RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE, IT PUTS UPWARD PRESSURE TO RAISE WAGES ALL ACROSS THE BOARD AND AGAIN, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, PUTTING MORE MONEY IN PEOPLE'S BEING 30 10 ITS INCREASES AFFORDABILITY, INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE HELPS PARTICULARLY LOCAL ECONOMIES BECAUSE THAT'S MONEY THAT PEOPLE WILL SPEND IN THE SUPERMARKET AND THE DRY CLEANER AND THE LAUNDROMAT AND LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S ALSO HELPS TO BOOST ECONOMIES AS WELL.

>> SO ON ANOTHER PROPOSAL, I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO IN TERMS OF BAIL REFORM, WHICH SOMETHING THAT WE JUST CANNOT STOP TALKING ABOUT.

SHE WANTS TO ELIMINATE SOMETHING CALLED THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE MEANS.

IT'S A TERM THAT I CAN'T REALLY DEFINE IT, BUT SHE WANTS TO TAKE AWAY THAT IN TERMS OF SETTING BAIL FOR HIGHER LEVEL CHARGES.

SO JUDGES WOULD NO LONGER HAVE TO SET RESTRICTS BASED ON THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE MEANS.

YOU'VE BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CHANGES IN THE STATE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

WHEN YOU BECAME SPEAKER, THEY WERE A BIG PRIORITY FOR YOU.

DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNOR'S CHANGES ARE A NON-STARTER, OR ARE YOU OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION THIS YEAR?

>> I THINK WHERE WE ARE, DAN, WHEN WE OPENED UP, I THINK WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE PERCEPTION OF PEOPLE'S CONCERNS ON CRIME, AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, NEW YORK IS ONE OF THE SAFEST STATES.

NEW YORK CITY IS ONE OF THE SAFEST.

BIG CITY CRIME IS UP.

I DON'T THINK 11 PEOPLE ARE GIVING ENOUGH CREDIT TO WHAT THE PANDEMIC HAS DONE TO US AS A NATION, AS A STATE AND AS A CITY.

I OFTEN FEEL LIKE BAIL IS BEING SCAPEGOATED.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE RECIDIVISM RATES, POST- AND PRE-BAIL ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME, AND YET, IT'S BEEN GOOD TO BLAME POLITICALLY-- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE RUN CAMPAIGNS ON IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR CAMPAIGNS.

SO I DO SAY WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE-- THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE, I CAN'T SAY-- I'D SAY NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NOT FEELING SAFE, SO I THINK WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT WHAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T TELL YOU PER SE ON FEBRUARY 7th WHAT WE WILL DO IN THE END, BUT WE DO HAVE DEAL WITH MAKING PEOPLE IN THIS STATE FEEL SAFER.

>> DO YOU THINK IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT, THE PERCEPTION THAT BAIL REFORM HAS CAUSED A SPIKE IN CRIME?

WHICH I SHOULD NOTE THERE IS NO DATA TO TIE THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER.

DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES ARE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO PASS ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE MEASURES, LIKE THE CLEAN SLATE ACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS?

DOES THAT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO DO THESE THINGS?

>> I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE ABLE-- WHEN YOU DO THINGS AS A LEGISLATURE, YOU-- THERE'S 12 TIMES YOU HAVE TO LEAD YOUR COMMUNITY BUT THERE'S ALSO TIMES YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR COMMUNITY.

HOW YOUR CONSTITUENTS FEEL, IT DOES HAVE INPUT INTO HOW YOU GAME PLAN THINGS, BUT I THINK THIS OVERFOCUS AND OVERBLAMING OF BAIL HAS MADE, YOU KNOW, THE TOUGHER CONVERSATIONS.

IN ESSENCE, THESE ARE THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO.

IF PEOPLE HAVE PAID THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY AND THEY JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO EARN A LIVING AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

PEOPLE DESERVE, YOU KNOW, SECOND CHANCES, BUT THIS OVERFOCUS AND OVERBLAMING AND SCARING PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR CITY OR STATE.

IT MAKES THE ENVIRONMENT MORE DIFFICULT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT MAKES THE WILL TO DO THINGS MORE DIFFICULT, BUT IT DOES MAKE A LITTLE-- THE ENVIRONMENT A LITTLE TOUGHER.

>> BEFORE I LET YOU GO, DIMENSION THE CLEAN SLATE ACT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT IN YOUR CHAMBER?

IT'S HAD A TOUGH GO THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH DIFFERING REASONS ON WHY IT HASN'T PASSED.

ANY UPDATE YOU CAN GIVE US?

>> LISTEN, AGAIN, AS WE START TO, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE GO THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET AND IN THIS SESSION, I'M SURE CLEAN SLATE WILL BE A PART OF THAT 13 DISCUSSION.

I'LL SAY THIS.

THERE'S-- THERE'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF SUPPORT, YOU KNOW IN THE CONFERENCE, BUT TO ME, AS THE LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY, I'D LIKE TO GET-- MOVE THE CONFERENCE IN A PLACE THAT EVERYBODY CAN BE COMFORTABLE.

THAT'S WHAT A LEADER DOES.

YOU TRY TO GET EVERYBODY TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ALL BE COMFORTABLE AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN-- WE CAN GET THERE.

SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BEEN ABOUT PASS OR FAIL.

IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO MOVE THE ASSEMBLY IN A PLACE WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC CONFERENCE, WHERE MEMBERS CAN ALL BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO.

>> ALL RIGHT, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, DAN.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.