Last-minute state budget negotiations are always fluid. There are coordinated and well-financed campaigns to both include certain policies in the spending plan, as well as pushes to keep those policies out. 

One such issue this year is an effort to change the state’s public campaign finance system, which has been a success according to advocates.

An estimated 50,800 New Yorkers made small-dollar in-district donations, which is roughly twice as many as in 2020 or 2022.

The system last year was used by both Democratic and Republican candidates to get on ballots throughout the state without the need of large donors. 

Under the state’s current framework, candidates get up to $12 for every $1 they receive in eligible donations of $250 or less. Some lawmakers want to change that calculation to increase the amount of campaign donations eligible for matching funds. 

Lawrence Norden, vice president of the Brennan Center’s Elections & Government Program discussed the possible changes with Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter.