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The Big Ugly Mess Behind New York’s Busted Budget Process

And how the state budget impacts the the city.

4:22 PM EDT on March 24, 2023

(Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

Budget season is heating up, baby! And Hell Gate is here to break it down for you. How did New York's state budget process become such a shitshow, and why should you care about what Albany's been cooking up?

First, Hell Gate co-owners Esther Wang and Max Rivlin-Nadler explore our state's labyrinthine and insanity-inducing budget process, and why we can't just "be normal" as a state. Will a newly empowered legislature mean even more chaos?

Then, we chat with Kim Phillips-Fein, professor of history at Columbia University and author of "Fear City," about Eric Adams' proposed austerity budget, his beloved "high-income earners," and the lingering impacts of the 1970s fiscal crisis.

New podcasts drop Fridays. And they're free! You can subscribe to the Hell Gate Podcast on Apple PodcastsSpotifyStitcher, or wherever you normally consume podcasts.

Drop us a line and tell us what you think of episode four. If you enjoy our podcast, give us a five-star rating and tell your friends about it—and please subscribe to Hell Gate so we can make more!

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