Every year, certain issues emerge as particular challenges in the State Budget. Clearly, among the most difficult this year is the structural budgetary imbalance in the State’s Medicaid program.

New York State has experienced difficult budgets many times over its history. Seldom if ever, however, has the State faced the level of economic and revenue challenges identified in this year’s Enacted Budget Financial Plan as a consequence of the COVID19 pandemic.

The Office of the State Comptroller estimates that the State’s tax revenues will decline by 5.6 percent or $4.7 billion in SFY 2020-21 compared to the previous year. Such revenues are projected to grow by 1.6 percent in SFY 2021-22, and to increase by 4.3 percent in SFY 2022- 23