Senator Fuschillo, citing the need to restore public confidence in New York's budget-making process, recently renewed his call for meaningful budget reform to end budget delays and continue to promote fiscal stability for the state.

Fuschillo announced the reintroduction of his plan, which calls for reshaping that state's budget-making process, including shifting the start of the state fiscal year, requiring joint revenue forecasting and imposing a "default" budget as a back-up to ensure a spending plan is in place by the deadline.

"This plan is a well-conceived strategy that will end late budgets, while at the same time continuing to enhance our state's financial health by embracing structural reforms that will pay dividends to state taxpayers for years to come," Fuschillo said.

The Senate last year with bipartisan support overwhelmingly approved this budget reform plan, but the Assembly took no action on it or any other plan. Gov. Pataki has previously indicated he supports the plan. Fuschillo's budget reform plan would include:

* Budget Requests (Oct. 15)

Requires agencies to submit individual preliminary budget requests to the Legislature at the same time they are forwarded to the Governor, providing additional time for study and review.

* "Fast Start," Timely Finish (Nov. 15)

Requires commencement of three-way discussions between the Senate, Assembly and Governor to project expenditures for Medicaid, public assistance, school aid and other costs, as well as begin the process of estimating tax and other revenues for the coming year.

* Early Budget Submission (Jan. 15)

Requires earlier submission of the Executive Budget and shortens the amendment period from 30 days to 15 days to allow additional time for legislative review.

* Consensus Revenue Forecasts (March 1)

Requires three-way agreement by March 1 on revenues for the new fiscal year, clearing a major stumbling block for an on-time budget. If the Legislature and Executive fail to agree on a forecast, the independently elected Comptroller is charged with providing a binding forecast of tax, lottery and fee revenues within five days.

* Budget Conference Committees (March 16)

Requires General Conference Committees to establish spending parameters for individual service areas. Individual conference committees would negotiate budgets for assigned agencies.

* New Start of Fiscal Year (May 1)

The start of the fiscal year would move from April 1 to May 1 to provide adequate time for analysis and discussion of budget proposals. New York currently has the shortest time frame for legislative budget deliberations of the largest states in the nation.

* Default Budget (May 1)

Requires that in the absence of an agreed-to budget, the prior year's plan would remain in place after May 1, and spending would be capped at prior year levels.

* Structural Reforms/Reserve Fund

Requires three-year projection of the financial impact of any changes to the Executive Budget by individual conference committees. Additionally, a reserve fund equal to 5 percent of all state funds would be created to cushion unexpected economic downturns and natural disasters. Such a fund, if it were in place today, would require reserves of approximately $2.8 billion, or four times the current requirement.