The New York state budget from a progressive perspective is a mixed bag, according to one of the co-directors of the influential Working Families Party.

In a conversation with Capital Tonight, New York Working Families Party Co-Director Jasmine Gripper lauded the full funding of campaign finance reform which helps boost small campaign donors, as well as the restoration of education aid.

However, she said the Working Families Party is disappointed with the housing package, which reduced tenant protections to just New York City, with other municipalities having to opt into the program.

“I was literally just in a room with someone from Westchester and Rochester and they both said for legislators to vote on a housing package that left them out was a huge slap in the face to them,” Gripper noted. “And as a statewide party that has constituencies around the state, tenants across New York wanted protection.”

According to Gripper, the conversation around tenant protections will continue, especially since 50% of New Yorkers are renters.

“This is a scary time for New Yorkers who are already grappling with the high cost of rent. We have to do more to increase housing stock but also increase affordability,” Gripper said.

During the balance of the legislative session, the Working Families Party will be focusing, in part, on climate and environmental initiatives, including the NY HEAT Act, the climate superfund bill and the Plastics & Recycling Infrastructure Act.

“Literally, in a year where we saw the sky turn orange, New York state legislators did nothing to address the climate crisis that is at our front door,” she said.

The legislative session is scheduled to end on Thursday, June 6.