New York approves $268.5B budget, softens climate targets and expands city aid

New York lawmakers passed a $268.5 billion state budget after weeks of delay, rolling back the climate law to target a 60% emissions cut by 2040, restricting formal ICE cooperation by police, boosting aid to cities and schools, enacting auto-insurance reforms, and imposing a pied-a-terre tax in NYC, while also increasing Medicaid funding and pensions—sparking mixed reactions from unions, business groups and Republicans.