ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The state budget is due by April 1, and lawmakers held several meetings this week to discuss the Senate and Assembly one-house budget proposals. While the budget is still being negotiated, some local leaders say there’s a sense of relief that some of the proposed cuts, pre-stimulus, are being rejected by the legislature. 

“It’s encouraging that the two houses of the legislature realize the importance of local governments, and particularly infrastructure funding as we try to revitalize our economies,” said New York State Conference of Mayors Executive Director Peter Baynes.

The legislative proposals restore funding for highways and Extreme Weather Recovery. 

“All the cuts were restored in the CHIPS program, which is a local highway aid program, and both the Assembly and Senate added additional transportation funding for local governments on top of the restoration they did,” Baynes said.

He says between tax revenues improving and the federal infusion of money, “I think, the legislature’s recognizing that the resources are there, and they want to make local governments priority because… a local economy relies on the public infrastructure that that municipalities provide.”

The Senate and Assembly proposals would also improve funding to the Pave and Bridge NY programs.