screen-shot-2015-01-29-at-10-52-11-am-150x150-6863091Albany’s biggest, juiciest capital pork pie, the mysterious State and Municipal Facilities Program, just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

The newly adopted fiscal 2016 state budget increases the program’s total spending authority by 50 percent, to $1.13 billion from $746 million. It’s the second big jump in funding in two years for this program, which last year had its appropriation doubled.

So, what’s the rationale for the State and Municipal Facilities Program?

Well, aside from the underlying assumption that all sorts of state-funded capital spending is both necessary and worthwhile, no one in the Capitol has gotten around to offering one.

In fact, Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders uncharacteristically have said virtually nothing about the program (in public) since its inception two years ago. They just keep agreeing to spend more on it.

And what’s eligible for State and Municipal Facilities Program funding?

Just about anything, at this point, as reflected in the lengthy, very inclusive appropriations language we’ve excerpted here. This year’s wrinkles include the addition of “heavy duty road maintenance and construction vehicles” to eligible capital equipment purchases. The types of entities eligible to apply for funding were expanded in the latest budget language to include non-profit park conservancies and volunteer fire departments.

This added language and appropriations authority were not in Governor Cuomo’s Executive Budget, by the way. They were added in the final deal by the governor and Legislature this week.

And where will the money come from?

Backdoor borrowing by the state Dormitory Authority, of course—duly reflected by an increase in DASNY’s bond cap for this purpose, so you know they mean it.

Huh?

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office noted in its enacted budget report last year that it is “unclear” how funds will be allocated under the State and Municipal Facilities Program. “The Enacted (FY 2015) Budget does not include specific language that provides for the distribution of these moneys among the various purposes or between the various entities authorized to receive funding,” the comptroller’s report said.

Based on the latest appropriations language, that’s still the case. In contrast to the capital pork appropriations first initiated in the Pataki era, there’s not even a requirement for a “memorandum of understanding” between the governor and legislative leaders to divide the pie. Technically, that would seem to give Cuomo carte blanche to spend the money as he wishes. It’s also possible that there’s an unspoken deal conveniently not committed to FOIL-able paper.

The appropriations totals would suggest that $25 million has been spent or committed by the State and Municipalities Program fund.

Hmm. Perhaps that relates to this $25 million project involving improvements to a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) right-of-way near the huge Empire Outlets project in St. George, Staten Island.

Or maybe there’s more. Perhaps, eventually, the governor or Legislature will get around to explaining it.

About the Author

E.J. McMahon

Edmund J. McMahon is Empire Center's founder and a senior fellow.

Read more by E.J. McMahon

You may also like

Hochul’s ‘Straight Talk’ on Medicaid Isn’t Straight Enough

Arguably the biggest Medicaid news in Governor Hochul's budget presentation was about the current fiscal year, not the next one: The state-run health plan is running substantially over budget. Read More

New York’s Medicaid Spending Is Running Billions Over Budget

New York's Medicaid program ran billions of dollars over budget during the first half of the fiscal year, adding to signs of a brewing fiscal crisis in Albany. According to the fro Read More

With Union Support, Lawmakers Roll Back a Nursing Home Reform Law

Nearly half of New York's nursing homes would be effectively exempted from a two-year-old minimum spending law under terms of a rollback passed by state lawmakers this week. Enacted Read More

A Breakthrough for Hospital Pricing Transparency in Albany

The murky world of hospital pricing would be exposed to more sunlight under a bill approved this week by state lawmakers. The legislation calls for the state-run employee health pla Read More

No Need to Rush Now

The passage of a state budget bill should be a thorough, transparent and democratic process that allows for ample public input and discussion. Read More

Hospital Lobby’s TV Campaign Spreads Misinformation About Medicaid

As New York's health-care industry agitates for more money from the state budget, two of its most influential lobbying groups are airing TV ads that make alarmist and inaccurate claims about Medicaid. Read More

Hochul’s ‘Pay and Resolve’ Push for Hospitals Triggers Déjà Vu

Two years ago last week, I wrote in the Daily News about how then-Governor Andrew Cuomo was pushing a costly change to insurance law on behalf of a hospital group that had supported his campaign through a fund-rai Read More

The Looming Collapse of a Long-Term Care Insurer Raises Questions for DFS

As the Hochul administration presses for the creation of a "guaranty fund" to bail out failed health insurers, the state is quietly moving to seize a small company that could be the fund's first target. Read More