Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul has been crossing the state talking about some of the items in the recently passed state budget. During a stop in Syracuse recently, Hochul highlighted parts of the $168 budget that New York lawmakers passed last month. She followed many of the budget themes the governor emphasized during budget negotiations - the impact of the new federal tax plan on state spending, the importance of an on-time budget and a focus on sexual harassment policies.
Hochul also brought up some lower profile items, like a ban on so called school lunch “shaming” of kids who take part in the free and reduced lunch program.
"You have to recognize that there are children who are being ostracized and feel that they cannot take advantage of this and these are the kids who really need it," Hochul said.
And she touted legislation that will put New York at the forefront in an effort to avoid any kind of Russian meddling in elections in the state.
“When you do advertising on the state of New York, on social media, you have to disclose the source of funding who paid for it," She said.
She’s not sure when that will go into effect, but is hopeful it will happen before the November elections.
Hochul defended the state's increase in school aid to $26 billion, emphasizing this budget makes school districts more accountable.
"We need to go in to see how they are spending that money," Hochul said. "And this is the first time there’s been that scrutiny of proposed by the state government, because it’s usually been in the hands of the local school boards."
