If Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget passes as is, New York's counties will be among the spending plan’s biggest losers.  

“The governor is looking to intercept almost $300 million in federal funds earmarked for local taxpayers,” said Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

This is from the NYSAC’s press release: 

"Unfortunately, the Governor’s budget includes an unprecedented shift that will saddle local taxpayers with up to $1 billion in new Medicaid costs by pocketing Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Program (eFMAP) funds that were intended to go directly to local governments to help hold costs down."

The news is especially alarming because, at this point in the fiscal year, the only option counties would have to pay this debt is to cut services. 

“We have to cut programs and services to absorb this shift,” Acquario said. “And we never got a heads-up on this.”

NYSAC is estimating that Albany County taxpayers could be on the hook for an extra $8.5 million; Erie County, $28 million; Onondaga County, $14 million; Monroe County $24.5 million; and Broome County, $5.2 million.