What to expect when you’re expecting a budget

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 41 SPENDING SPECIFICS: Crucial state budget details — including aid for New York City, the structure of a surcharge on high-value second homes and the contours of major pension changes — are yet to be fully ironed out. Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced a "general agreement" for a $268 billion spending plan — but without specifics on many items. The closed-door discussions remain underway in Albany and none of the nine remaining budget bills have been printed. The state budget is now destined to be at least six weeks past its March 31 due date. Yet Hochul is counting on voters to appreciate her policy wins and not focus on what has been an at-times messy process. Hammering out these final specifics won't make or break a final deal. But the fine print will matter for how much New York plans for its massive tax-and-spend plan — impacting some 19 million people. Here's what's to still expect when you're expecting a budget. New York City aid: More help for the Big Apple is on the way from Albany. Lawmakers and Hochul are discussing additional foundation aid, potentially changing the formula for how public education spending is determined, and more cash for homeless students. At the same time, enabling legislation for pension amortization is being considered. Those measures are designed to help New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani close what's left of a $5.4 billion budget gap. And they come on top of the additional $1.5 billion Hochul agreed to earlier this year. The governor told reporters Monday morning her office has been working well with the Mamdani administration to fix the city's budget woes. "There's quite a bit that needs to be OK'd by New York state," she said. "I spent last night talking to the mayor, Friday night talking to the mayor. It's been a great level of cooperation." Pied-à-terre structure: Lawmakers are yet to see any detailed budget language for Hochul's proposed surcharge on non-primary second residences worth $5 million