📘 JSA2026 FY2026 Commonwealth Budget – Volume III: Capital Infrastructure & Debt Reform

Prepared by the Office of Jason S. Arnold – 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate, State of New York
This volume restructures New York’s capital infrastructure strategy and debt policy to prioritize transparency, affordability, and real public value. No more hidden debt. No more vanity projects. No more backroom bonding.

🏗️ Purpose of Volume III

New York’s capital budget has become a bloated checklist of political favors, outdated projects, and disguised liabilities. Bonding is abused. Debt service is hidden. And while bridges collapse and neighborhoods flood, Albany funds billion-dollar stadiums and “green” experiments with no return.

Volume III is the blueprint for ending that — and building real infrastructure that strengthens our commonwealth from the ground up.

🛠️ Capital Project Reform

• Cancel inactive projects: End funding for any capital project authorized before FY2020 that has not begun work or issued bonds
• Prioritize shovel-ready, high-impact infrastructure: Focus on projects that support public safety, housing, and critical transportation
• Fast-track utility-linked housing builds: Create an interagency Housing Infrastructure Board to approve sewer, water, and electrical expansion projects within 90 days
• Launch State Infrastructure Scorecard: All capital proposals must be publicly rated on cost, urgency, and community return on investment (C-ROI)

📉 Debt Restructuring Plan

• Buy down high-interest debt: Use reclaimed capital surplus and reserve rollover to pay off bonds with rates above 5%
• End shadow borrowing: Prohibit bonding by state agencies and authorities (MTA, SUNY, ESDC, etc.) without public vote or legislative review
• Cap debt service: Legislate a cap of 5% of total state disbursements for annual debt service going forward

📊 Transparency Tools for the Public

• Capital Projects Tracker: Online tool showing every bonded or budgeted capital project with cost, contractor, region, and status
• Quarterly project updates: All state-managed capital projects must submit quarterly progress and budget status to OSC and publish publicly
• “Where’s Our Money?” map: Public-access interactive map showing where infrastructure dollars are going by zip code and project category

🌱 Climate Infrastructure Mandates

• Performance-linked climate spending: All clean energy projects must report verified kilowatt impact, access improvement, or emissions reduction by year 2
• Retrofit-first rule: No new build-outs for solar/wind unless every existing grid connection has been modernized or repaired
• Grant freeze: Suspend all unmonitored or noncompliant green tech contractor grants until updated reporting is complete

🔁 Capital Reallocation Strategy

• Defund vanity: Cancel capital allocations for stadiums, luxury developments, and museums not tied to public infrastructure or education
• Invest in:
  • Rural and upstate water/wastewater systems
  • Bridge safety zones and unaddressed repairs
  • Broadband deployment in underserved regions
  • Electrical grid hardening and local microgrid pilots

📈 Fiscal Outcomes

• Capital backlog reduced by 40% over first term
• Debt service reduced by $1.6 billion within 3 years
• Over $4 billion freed for high-priority housing-related infrastructure expansion

🔚 Conclusion from Jason S. Arnold

New Yorkers are not afraid of investment. We’re afraid of lies. Volume III ends the era of fake “infrastructure week” politics and begins the long-overdue return to physical investment that actually improves our lives.

Volume IV will cover Education & Medicaid Reform in full.

🗽 Jason S. Arnold, Candidate for Governor
📍 https://jsa2026.com
☎️ (516) 586-0660
✉️ jaysarnold@icloud.com