Hochul, leaders "on the same planet," speaker says, CapCon Q&A on Open Government

Plus, early voting numbers ahead of today's primary election.

Good afternoon — it’s Tuesday, and Peanut Butter and Jelly Day.

TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2024

TODAY’S CAPCON:

• Progress is being made in budget talks, the Assembly speaker says

• And for some, a late budget is a good thing. We’ll explain why

• We have the early voting numbers ahead of today’s primary

• CapCon Q&A with Shoshanah Bewlay from the Committee on Open Government

🔨 Is Tomorrow a Session Day? Yes.

☁️ Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Rain likely, mid-30s. New York City: Rain, mid-40s (National Weather Service)

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Speaker Carl E. Heastie speaks with reporters Tuesday. (Dan Clark/Times Union)

🪐 State budget talks have moved from “on the same planet” to “in the same state,” speaker says

💵 A deal on the state budget could still happen this week, Assembly Speaker Carl E. HEASTIE told reporters Tuesday, as negotiations continue.

Last Tuesday, Heastie gravitated toward a metaphor to describe the nebulous state of budget talks. 

“Sometimes in the budget, you might be in a different galaxy. I think we’re all now even on the same planet,” he said.

One week later, negotiations aren’t moving at light speed, but the state of the spending plan feels a bit less alien at this point, Heastie said Tuesday.

“I think we might not only be in the same country, but the same state,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re on the same block.”

But Heastie did list a number of key items in budget talks that haven’t been closed down just yet.