Nick Reisman at New York State of Politics that state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul must approve a new state budget or approve a sixth temporary extension of state spending by May 2. The budget was due April 1, but lawmakers have passed five deadline extensions so far while negotiations continue. This budget is already the latest spending plan in more than a decade. The reason the budget is late is that it has become far more than just an accounting of spending, and is instead full of all sorts of policy issues. Policies on housing, bail reform, charter schools, cannabis and the minimum wage should be worked out in the legislature and passed as separate bills, but Hochul has more negotiating power with those issues in the budget. Ken Girardin, a fellow at the Empire Center for Public Policy, said lawmakers should not vote on those issues in the budget. He said, “They don’t have to vote on any of the Article 7 language that the governor has sent.” Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.