Hochul's budget removes $4 billion from comptroller oversight, DiNapoli says
And Blakeman says he would form a team to find Medicaid spending cuts if elected.
Good afternoon — It’s Ash Wednesday and the start of Ramadan.
In today’s CapCon:
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli was critical in a new report of $4 billion in contract oversight carveouts included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget.
The Trump administration reaffirmed its support for the Constitution Pipeline Wednesday but Republican Schoharie County lawmakers have concerns.
Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Wednesday he would work to find cuts in Medicaid spending if elected governor in November.
On The Bill: One of three bills approved this year that Hochul hasn’t yet acted seeks to preserve access to abortion medication.
Data centers would no longer be able to claim generous sales tax exemptions under a newly introduced bill.
Names in today’s CapCon: Thomas P. DiNapoli, Kathy Hochul, Karoline Leavitt, William Federice, Bruce Blakeman, Donald J. Trump, Ryan Radulovacki, Amy Paulin, Michelle Hinchey, Marty Makary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
💰 DiNapoli critical of Hochul’s proposed carveout of comptroller contract oversight
When Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill to restore the state comptroller’s oversight of certain state contracts in 2022, she framed it as an accountability measure.
“This bill is an important step forward, and I believe the legislation is important in our efforts to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent well,” Hochul wrote in her approval memo at the time.
But a provision of her proposed executive budget this year would “erode” that oversight to the tune of at least $4 billion in state spending over the next fiscal year, state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said Wednesday.
“I oppose the proposals to erode contract oversight by my office for billions in spending of taxpayer money,” DiNapoli said. “Independent oversight and broader competition in the procurement process are not obstacles but are essential checks that ensure public funds are spent responsibly and fairly.”
The change would be significant, DiNapoli said.
Right now, the state comptroller’s office has oversight of state contracts that exceed $85,000 at the state Office of General Services, and $50,000 for all other agencies.
Anything below those amounts doesn’t have to go through a competitive bidding process or be cleared by the comptroller’s office before the contract can be executed.
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