The $216 billion budget proposed this month by Gov. Kathy Hochul is still be parsed through as state lawmakers this week begin hearings on the spending plan. 

But for now, Democratic leaders in the state Legislature are responding favorably to a plan that continues to increase spending for schools while also giving them some leeway on how $2 billion in unallocated money could be spent. 

Another plus for Assembly Speaker Heastie: The budget dance, for now, is free of the usual problems that arise between the governor and state lawmakers. 

"I'll give Gov. Hochul a lot of credit. The typical reindeer games between the executive and the legislature is often the executive will cut down on what the legislature wants to put in the budget," Heastie told reporters. "She did not do that. I think that's a credit to her that we're not wiping out all the things the Legislature wants and we have to ask for that back."

Hochul's case with lawmakers is helped in large part by the cash New York has taken in over the last year, both from taxing upper income earners and from federal aid. A $2 billion line item in the budget, for now, is blank -- potentially allowing lawmakers to fund either support for workers like undocumented immigrants who have not received federal pandemic aid or to boost tenants and landlords. 

At the moment, it's not clear how that fund will be ultimately spent. Heastie with reporters demurred on where the money would go. 

But he added, "I think she put forth a great starting place."