Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the appointment of Blake Washington as the next New York State Budget Director. Mr. Washington has served in his current role since 2015 as the secretary to the NYS Assembly Ways and Means Committee, where he has acted in several additional capacities since 2002. Mr. Washington will be assuming the Division of Budget role most recently held by Robert Megna, who had returned to the NYS Division of the Budget earlier this year on an interim basis following the departure of Acting Budget Director Sandra Beattie. Mr. Washington holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from the State University of New York at Albany, and is expected to assume his responsibilities as Budget Director before the end of summer.

Alongside the Governor’s statement, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced his appointment of Philip Fields to succeed Mr. Washington as secretary to the NYS Assembly Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Fields currently serves as Deputy Fiscal Director for the NYS Assembly, and has worked in several other capacities in his more than 30 years with the Assembly. Mr. Fields is the Deputy Chair of the Schenectady County legislature, holds a master’s degree in economics from the State University of New York at Albany, and will assume his new role with the Assembly upon Mr. Washington’s departure. Additionally, Speaker Heastie announced Matthew Golden’s appointment as Assembly Director of Budget Studies, the role currently held by Mr. Fields.