ALBANY – A week after Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a budget extender as a result of the houses’ inability to come to a consensus by the April 1 deadline, Cuomo announced yesterday, April 10, the passage of the 2017-18 state budget.

The response to the $153 billion budget from various elected officials was mixed.

“This year’s budget process was very long and tiring to say the least,” said Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch (R - Bainbridge). “The lack of transparency and openness in the process again this year was extremely frustrating.

“I cannot support a bill that includes Raise the Age, which will allow criminals to not be held accountable for their crimes, receive lesser sentences in family court and burden our counties with the costs,” said Crouch. “It is frustrating to see so many non-budgetary items in the document, which should only be the state’s fiscal plan for the year. It slowed the process and negotiations greatly.”