From High Utility Bills to Local Roads: Assemblymember Paula Kay on Budget Priorities

Budget negotiations are heating up in the New York state legislature as lawmakers race to meet the April 1 budget deadline. For Assembly District 100 Assemblymember Paula Kay, high utility bills, childcare, and local road maintenance are among her top priorities for her largely rural district.

Both the state Senate and Assembly released their one-house budget proposals on Monday evening. Radio Catskill checked in with Assemblymember Kay, who represents Sullivan and Orange counties, about what’s top of mind for her this month.

High utility bills

Energy affordability remains one of most closely watched issues in the state budget as many utility customers face skyrocketing utility bills this winter.

Assemblymember Kay was one of 17 upstate Democratic Assemblymembers who sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul urging her to address the energy affordability crisis and lower utility bills through a package of bill reforms. Some of the legislation she’s pushing for includes returning bill credits to New Yorkers for unused Clean Energy Funds and streamlining energy affordability initiatives through the creation of an Office of Energy and Equity and Energy Affordability Fund.

The good news, she says, is that the budget proposal could likely include rebates for residential customers for utility rates.

While Governor Hochul has expressed she plans to reassess the state’s climate goals and timeline , Kay urged that how potential climate law rollbacks could translate into this year’s state budget isn’t a focus – yet.

“There have not been any conversations to date,” said Kay. “We’ll see what happens in the future, but as of now, that is not a discussion. I know people believe that this is part of what is being negotiated, but again, as of today, and that could change as of tomorrow, there’s been no discussion.”

Roads, childcare, and more

Securing funding to maintain safe roads in the region is also a top budget priority for Assemblymember Kay.

“The first thing we do every morning, if we’re going anywhere, is we’re traveling on local roads. Because this winter was so difficult [and] so cold and we had so much snow, our roads are really paying the price, especially in Sullivan County,” said Kay.

Kay says that the budget includes an additional $50 million for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIP) and an additional $50 million for PAVE-NY. She joined hundreds of highway workers from across the state in Albany on March 4 for the Local Roads Day to advocate for safer local infrastructure and more worker protections.

Childcare assistance remains another budget challenge for the region, she says.

In July 2025, Sullivan County paused its child care assistance program for new applicants and recertifications due to a lack of funding. It’s been closed for more than seven months and is one of 34 counties across New York that have closed applications for their programs. The latest budget proposal from state lawmakers include funding boosts for child care subsidies and programs .

Kay says she’s also hoping that how child care assistance funds are allocated to counties is assessed.

“The goal is every zip code, if you qualify, you get to be part of the pot.  That is a really important change ’cause we know that some counties may not use up all of their money, and those that do use up all their money, the families should not be penalized for that.”

READ: Rural Families Still Without Child Care Assistance 7 Months Later, Despite Hochul’s Child Care Push

Workforce housing

Assemblymember Kay says there is a developer ready to bring 125 workforce housing units off Route 17B to the Village of Monticello. While still in its early stages, she’s hopeful this could provide ample housing opportunities, especially for workers who may be forced to commute from other areas due to high housing costs or few housing stock options.

Over the past few months, Kay has convened a workforce housing round table with employers, developers, and local leaders to identify possible housing projects in the district.

“Just to know there is someone willing to build, there is property that it can be built on and we have plans to make it part of the community is beyond exciting to me, and it’s just the beginning,” said Kay.

Image: Assembly District 100 Assemblymember Paula Kay speaking at the State Capitol during the Local Roads Day press conference on March 4 in Albany, N.Y. (Photo Credit: New York Assemblymember Paula Kay)