Hometown News: State Budget Summary

A State Senator was hospitalized for a second day with walking pneumonia, putting off the narrowly-divided upper chamber's vote on a state budget package. Democratic state Senators need all 32 to adopt the state's 132-billion-dollar tax and spending plan. Austin Shafran, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, wishes Senator Hassell-Thompson a return to good health. Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson arrived in the chamber shortly after 10 this morning, was permitted to vote yes on the various budget bills, and then left again.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says the new state budget deal falls short. DiNapoli says the budget is not a long-term solution to New York's propensity to spend more than the state can afford.