A “yes” or “no” vote on the back of the ballot this year is an opportunity to transform New York State’s approach to climate change and a range of other environmental and social issues. Proposal 1 is just about 60 words, but it would greenlight $4.2 billion in bonds for a huge surge in spending. According to a recent Siena College poll, the measure is expected to pass easily. Organizations from the Nature Conservancy to the A.F.L.-C.I.O. support it.
The opposition that has come up so far is from people against additional spending generally, and not to the specifics of the plan. It has been blasted by the state Conservative Party chairman as a “vague and amorphous ballot proposal that’s more about politics than it is about clear environmental goals.” It is “no coincidence” that Gov. Kathy Hochul is promoting this the same year she is running for governor, Gerard Kassar observed.
Before we get to the numbers, it is important to look at the state agency that would actually control the money — the Department of Environmental Conservation. The $4.2 billion would essentially triple the Conservation Department’s annual budget, which was $1.8 billion in 2022. Cities, local governments, nonprofits, and individuals would apply to the D.E.C. for funding. This massive new responsibility would require a total revamping of the already-sprawling department’s staffing and organization, something that is not addressed in detail in the proposal’s underlying legislation. The risk of waste and mismanagement is extremely high; anyone who says otherwise has not paid attention to the decades of corruption in the state capital.
Assuming that Proposal 1 will pass, there is a lot of consequence for Long Island residents. Climate change response would get $1.5 billion, including up to $250 million for voluntary buyouts and habitat restoration. Coastal rehabilitation and shoreline restoration would be funded with $1.1 billion. A hefty $650 million would go to wastewater systems, storm runoff, and drinking water quality; the same amount would go to acquiring, moving, and lifting or raising flood-prone properties, structures, and roadways and updating dams, bridges, and culverts.
There is $500 million for zero-emission school buses and money for efficiency and renewable energy improvements at state, city, and community colleges as well as at public schools. About a third of the total $4.2 billion would be targeted for environmental justice for low-income communities that have typically borne the brunt of pollution. As many as 84,000 new jobs would result, according to a state consultant. Additional spending related to funded projects could pump close to $9 billion into the economy.
Pro-bond groups say that the long-term benefits will outweigh the cost. Key areas would be in improving resilience and avoiding future costs from severe storms, as well as social and public health benefits. The key will be keeping pressure on state and local authorities to ensure that the money is spent wisely.