Lawmakers want modest changes to cuts

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) - The march madness has begun in Albany.

Both houses of the state legislature have passed their own versions of the state budget, counter offers to Governor Cuomo's spending plan.

But for the first time in recent memory, lawmakers are calling for only modest restorations to the governor's proposed cuts.

Republican State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer said, "We redirected some of the governor's cuts to education to help some of the poorer school districts, because it was not done in an equitable fashion so we made some changes to that so it's more equitable across the state."

The governor's budget would not raise taxes.

It would however, close a more than $10 billion deficit by slashing spending 10 percent to state departments and agencies.

The budget deadline is April 1st.