Leaders agree to budget (no prison task force; 3,700 beds gone)

Reporting from Watertown, in my pajamas:

Legislative leaders have agreed to a budget.

There are still tons of details left to be decided, but it looks like they're going after 3,700 beds.

There is NOT going to be a task force! That's pretty huge, folks. It's at the governor's sole discretion, with input from legislative leaders. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the effect on the local economy where a prison is located would be considered, but legislators will have to take a big leap of faith on this one.

Also, Recharge New York, the successor to Power for Jobs, is in the budget. So it'll become law when it passes.

The governor's $130 million for regional economic development councils is included.

So is $86 million more for SUNY hospitals, SUNY and CUNY. Not sure the breakdown here, or if Jefferson Community College is going to get a slice.

There's also a $270 million school-aid restoration; Mr. Cuomo cut school-aid by $1.5 billion. Not sure what the regional breakdown is going to be and how they're going to allocate those funds.

UPDATE:

Just got off the phone with a guy who works up in Ogdensburg. It took me about five minutes to convince him that this was real, that there would be no task force.

When he was properly convinced, his reaction? "This is bad news."