logo
Five Weeks Late, a $254 Billion New York Budget Still Has Its Charms

Five Weeks Late, a $254 Billion New York Budget Still Has Its Charms

New York Times09-05-2025
The late-night scene beneath the New York State Capitol was unusual, even by Albany standards.
Lawmakers from the Assembly and Senate, having finally passed the state's $254 billion budget on Thursday evening, streamed down to the Capitol's lower levels to collect their long overdue paychecks from the payroll office.
In New York, state legislators do not receive their salaries if the budget lapses, as it did on April 1. But after five weeks without a budget or a paycheck, both arrived on Thursday.
Lawmakers, however, were not the only ones to benefit from the budget's official passage.
Ms. Hochul was quick to celebrate expansions of the child tax credit, more school funding and a litany of other programs she said would make the state more affordable.
Here's a look at some of the budget's more interesting provisions.
Legislators helped themselves
A quirk of state government is that lawmakers have the power to write or amend laws that regulate their own actions, no recusal required. This year, legislators took full advantage of that power, crafting several significant changes to how they can collect outside income and raise money.
In 2022, lawmakers raised their salaries by $32,000 to $142,000 while also placing a $35,000 cap on outside income. The Albany Times-Union reported this year that nearly 40 legislators had outside incomes above the limit.
The income cap was supposed to go into effect this year, after several unsuccessful court challenges. But lawmakers included a provision in the budget that would delay enforcement for two years.
Along those lines, legislators altered the state's campaign finance matching system. Donations larger than $250 are currently disqualified from the matching program; the agreement provides for the state to match the first $250 of any donation up to $1,000.
Elected officials can now also hold onto $50,000 for future campaigns. These tweaks and others appear geared to help incumbents.
Lawmakers also created a $10 million slush fund to pay for private lawyers if state officials were targeted by the Trump administration.
You get a refund, you get a raise
Ms. Hochul has been eager to trumpet her 'inflation rebate' — $2 billion that will be disbursed to New Yorkers in checks of up to $400 per family, $200 per individual. But the budget also contains a number of other financial benefits for people across the state.
The per-day pay rate for jurors in state court, for example, is being raised to $72 dollars, nearly doubling the current amount. This is the first time that New York has raised the per diem rate for jurors since 1995, when Gov. George E. Pataki signed legislation that raised rates for those doing their civic duty from $15 to $40 over a three-year period.
And some workers at LaGuardia and Kennedy Airports were given a broad benefits-and-wages package that could help to address some of the staffing shortages that have plagued air travel.
Assistance for online shoppers
It's a familiar frustration for online shoppers: a product that's nearly impossible to return, or a subscription that's nearly impossible to cancel.
New York's budget includes new measures to assist shoppers, including a mandate that businesses provide transparent refund-and-return policies. The state will also require companies to offer clear instructions for terminating subscriptions, as well as advance notices of subscription renewals and their cost.
The state is also tightening regulations on 'buy now, pay later' companies like Affirm and Klarna. These firms will need a license from the Department of Financial Services, which requires companies to follow state laws governing advertising, interest rates and debt collection.
State troopers can be older and prison guards younger
One of the biggest and most disruptive developments in Albany this year was a wave of wildcat strikes among corrections officers, which led Ms. Hochul to call in about 6,000 National Guard troops to oversee the state's prisons. About 2,000 officers were fired as a result of the unsanctioned strikes, exacerbating an already profound staffing shortfall. The state currently has 4,500 fewer corrections officers than the budget allows.
Ms. Hochul and legislative leaders tried to address the problem in the new budget, which includes language allowing younger people to become corrections officers and removing state residency requirements. The budget also allows for the potential closure of up to three state prisons by next April.
Another change raises the maximum age of State Police recruits; they can now be as old as 43 when they join, up from 39.
A continued crackdown on artificial intelligence
The State Legislature has been looking for more ways to regulate artificial intelligence as it becomes more ubiquitous in our lives.
The budget includes a provision requiring A.I. chatbots to be able to detect when people seem to be expressing suicidal thoughts.
The New York Times reported in October on a case in Florida, in which the mother of a 14-year-old boy said her son had become obsessed with a chatbot on Character.AI, a role-playing app, before his death. Now chatbots must remind users every three hours that they are not communicating with humans.
Lawmakers also altered child pornography laws to outlaw the creation and distribution by A.I. of material featuring minors. They also added almost $100 million in funding for ongoing A.I. research at state universities.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NBA reporter addresses Nikola Jokic's future with Denver Nuggets after declining contract extension
NBA reporter addresses Nikola Jokic's future with Denver Nuggets after declining contract extension

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

NBA reporter addresses Nikola Jokic's future with Denver Nuggets after declining contract extension

The Denver Nuggets came into the offseason hoping to convince Nikola Jokic to remain with the franchise for years to come. After an array of moves to overhaul the rotation, the three-time NBA MVP told the team he wouldn't sign a contract extension this summer. NBA reporter Sam Amick of The Athletic said on Sactown Sports 1140 that there are 'no signs' Jokic wants out of Denver anytime soon. While he is eligible to hit NBA free agency in 2027, there is no belief that he is even entertaining it right now. Advertisement Related: NBA power rankings, see where the Nuggets land Nikola Jokic contract (Spotrac): $55.224 million salary (2025-26). $59.033 million salary (2026-27), $62.841 million player option in 2027 After consecutive seasons of being eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals, Denver became more aggressive this summer. The team moved off the Michael Porter Jr. contract, upgraded with Cam Johnson, and created the financial flexibility to add more talent to the roster. Once the deal was official, the Nuggets added Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas to fortify their rotation for next season. All three additions are widely viewed as strong enough for Denver to re-establish itself as one of the elite teams in the Western Conference. Read More: 50 best NBA players right now, find out where Nikola Jokic ranks There's another incentive for Jokic to hold off on a contract extension this summer. By waiting until next year, he'll be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth upwards of $290 million. It's a far better return than the three-year, $212 million deal he could've signed this offseason. Advertisement While NBA teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers are hoping Jokic plays out the final two years of his deal, then tests the open market in 2027, that still seems unlikely to happen. With the moves Denver made this summer to remain a championship contender, there's no reason to believe Jokic is questioning his future with the team. Related Headlines

Columbia May Be Nearing a Truce with Trump in Funding Fight
Columbia May Be Nearing a Truce with Trump in Funding Fight

Bloomberg

time34 minutes ago

  • Bloomberg

Columbia May Be Nearing a Truce with Trump in Funding Fight

Columbia University may be nearing a deal with the Trump administration to reinstate federal funding to the university over civil rights issues, according to reports by multiple news outlets. The deal would require Columbia to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to those affected by the alleged violations, increase transparency in its hiring and admissions processes, and take other steps to improve security and safety on campus for Jewish students, the Washington Free Beacon and Wall Street Journal reported.

Gold's Bull Run: Seasonal Strength Meets Conflicting COT Report—Are You In?
Gold's Bull Run: Seasonal Strength Meets Conflicting COT Report—Are You In?

Yahoo

time34 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Gold's Bull Run: Seasonal Strength Meets Conflicting COT Report—Are You In?

Gold market bulls have been riding an intense wave since the 2022 lows, when prices began trending towards the $2,000 per ounce level and finally breaking out, and the momentum hasn't let up. By July 2025, gold had an all-time high of $3,509.9, based on the nearest futures contract charts. Trading up 117% from $1,618 in October 2022. Managed Money began aggressively buying during the October 2022 lows and continued until September 2024, when gold was trading near $2,730. Later, I will assess the current Commitment of Traders (COT) report. Hedgers, like mining companies and central banks, have also benefited. Miners like Newmont (NEM) had revenue in Q1 2025 of $5.01 billion, representing a 24.5% increase from the $4.023 billion reported in Q1 2024. Higher year-over-year realized gold prices primarily drove this increase. In 2024, central banks accumulated significant gold as part of their reserve diversification strategy amidst global economic uncertainties and currency volatility. The amount of gold stockpiled was close to 1,045 metric tonnes, according to the World Gold Council. This marked the third consecutive year in which central bank gold purchases exceeded 1,000 tonnes, a trend according to AInvest driven by geopolitical tensions, inflation risks, and a strategic retreat from the U.S. dollar. This rally has rewarded both those chasing quick profits and those shielding against economic uncertainty. Silver Prices Are Pushing Higher. How Should You Trade the Precious Metal Here? Dollar Gains on Tariff Escalation Dollar Gains on Tariff Escalation Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. Two events point to potentially higher gold prices ahead. First, central bank purchases are set to continue, with the People's Bank of China continuing its 2024 buying spree. Reporting amounts of gold purchased by the PBOC is challenging to narrow down due to the underreporting of Chinese gold purchases, making it difficult to confirm the exact quantity definitively. Second, reports over the weekend that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will be resigning could result in much lower short-term interest rates if President Trump gets his wish of a more dovish Fed Chairman replacement. This would lead to a lower U.S. dollar and interest rates, which is bullish for gold prices. However, one event could disappoint gold buyers: If Powell does resign and the new chairperson drastically cuts short-term interest rates, the markets may perceive this as highly inflationary due to the strength of the current economy and employment situation. Thereby raising yields on the long end of the yield curve (TLT), anticipating this uptick in inflation. This would be a headwind for gold investors/traders as gold usually underperforms in high-interest-rate environments. Speculators might face short-term losses, while hedgers could see reduced urgency for gold if U.S. dollar stability returns. Source: Barchart Technically, gold is still in a long-term uptrend. The weekly chart shows how gold has consistently traded over the 50-week simple moving average (SMA) since breaking above $2,000. The current bull market has been trading at extreme distances from its 50 SMA, leading to concerns that the price may need to return to its mean to correct some of the bullishness in the market. Trend followers would still respect this bullish uptrend by trading what they see the market is doing and not trying to predict what it might do. I wish I could say that this uptrend is now in the hands of the strong hands, who manage money, but I can't. The following graphs will help explain my words. Source: CME Group Exchange The COT report for Managed Money shows how in 2022 the price (yellow line) put in a low and began an uptrend. As gold prices increased, each new high was met with new Managed Money buying (blue bars). However, the highs in 2024 were the last time Managed Money increased their gross long positions with each new high price in gold. Seeing the price rally and Managed Money restraining from aggressive buying has me wondering who has been doing all this new buying? Source: CME Group Exchange I checked the commercial traders and swap dealers, which had no buying, and then the non-reportables, and found the aggressive buyers. Unfortunately, non-reportable traders rarely have the staying power of the previously listed traders. Non-reportable does not mean they are only retail traders, but could be larger speculators trading contract sizes under the reportable level. The non-reportables have continued buying new highs in gold up to the recent all-time highs. I don't consider this a sell signal, but it does let me know that it might not take much to create a cascade in gold market prices, which could be like a vacuum as the smaller traders rush for the exits simultaneously. The non-reportables have done well pushing these prices higher, and the trend continues. I only wanted to point out this COT report issue as a yellow flag of caution. As I've been writing, the gold market has had a significant move, and some of the items I mentioned may cause a headwind to higher gold prices. While I firmly believe in trend following, I like to be aware of upcoming events that may impact the market I choose to trade. Gold has historically had significant moves higher from July to early September. Moore Research Center, Inc. (MRCI) has extensively researched the gold market. Resulting in finding this potential bullish opportunity. As a crucial reminder, while seasonal patterns can provide valuable insights, they should not be the basis for trading decisions. Traders must consider various technical and fundamental indicators, risk management strategies, and market conditions to make informed and balanced trading decisions. Source: MRCI MRCI searches for profitable seasonal patterns and patterns with the least drawdown during the seasonal period (yellow box). After all, who wants to sit through a significant drawdown on the way to a potential profit? Gold has followed its seasonal 15-year pattern (blue line) fairly well since the beginning of the year. March usually sees a correction of some sort, sideways or down. The gold market has been trading sideways since then. Is it now ready to embark on its seasonal July bottom rally? I've added the Relative Strength Index (RSI) to the seasonal chart. In uptrends, it's not unusual for markets to enter corrections and end when the RSI has retraced back to the 50% vicinity. The gold market has had three of these corrections, each seeing a bounce in price. Gold is beginning its July seasonal buying window, and the RSI has been hovering around the 50% level. Coincidence? MRCI research has found that December gold has closed higher on approximately August 23 than on July 24 for 12 of the past 15 years, an 80% occurrence. During this time, four years never had a daily closing drawdown. During hypothetical testing, gold averaged about 47 points, $4,700 per winning trade during this seasonal window. Source: MRCI In the past, futures traders could participate in these moves using the standard-size contract (GC) or the micro-size (GR) contract, and equity traders could use the exchange-traded fund (ETF) symbol (GLD). Additionally, investors could purchase physical gold in the spot market. While the GR contract is more affordable than the GC for many traders, there has still been significant demand for a smaller gold contract from the retail trading base. To answer this request, the CME Group launched a 1-ounce gold futures contract on January 13, 2025, aimed at the retail client. Specifications for the new gold contract are: Contract Size: 1 ounce Pricing: U.S. dollars and cents per ounce Tick size: $0.25 (note the GC and GR contracts are $0.10) Trading symbol: 1OZ Expiration months: Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, & Dec Settlement method: Cash settled The features of the 1OZ contract allow traders to track the price of gold more accurately. The 1OZ futures are directly tied to the spot price, offering accurate market exposure. Gold market bulls have enjoyed a remarkable run, with prices soaring 117% from $1,618 in October 2022 to an all-time high of $3,509.9 by July 2025, per futures contract charts. Central bank purchases, with 1,045 metric tonnes added in 2024 per the World Gold Council, and geopolitical tensions, like U.S.-global trade disputes, continue to drive demand. However, a potential headwind looms: a new Federal Reserve Chair in 2026 could slash short-term rates, sparking inflation fears and raising long-end yields, which historically pressure gold. Speculators face short-term risks if yields spike, while hedgers might see less need for gold if dollar stability returns. The Commitment of Traders (COT) report raises caution, showing non-reportable traders, not Managed Money, driving recent highs, per CME Group data. These smaller players, upping bets through July 2025, lack the staying power of the more capitalized managed money traders, signaling a risk of sharp sell-offs if sentiment shifts. Seasonally, gold's July-to-early-September rally, with an 80% chance of closing higher by August 23 per Moore Research Center's 15-year data, supports bulls, especially with the Relative Strength Index near 50%, a level tied to past bounces. Yet, traders must weigh this against technical overextension, as gold trades far above its 50-week moving average. For those looking to trade, CME Group's new 1-ounce gold futures contract (1OZ), launched January 13, 2025, offers retail traders a cash-settled, affordable way to track spot prices, complementing standard (GC) and micro (GR) contracts. Speculators can capitalize on volatility, while hedgers gain precise exposure to protect against economic uncertainty. Despite risks, the trend remains bullish, but traders should monitor COT shifts and changes to the Fed Chair position to navigate potential corrections. On the date of publication, Don Dawson did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store