No Dark Kathy for now!

Albany Democrats are giving themselves another week for state budget talks, as Gov. Kathy Hochul pushes to loosen limits on imposing bail and remanding people ahead of their trials.

“I’m going to make sure that we have bail laws that give the judges the discretion that I believe they should have,” Hochul told reporters in Albany on Saturday.

The Democratic governor has faced pressure to “go Dark Kathy” by using her power to the max against Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) in hopes of pressuring them on a bail deal on Hochul’s terms.

“She either utilizes her powers now,” warned Conservative Party State Chair Gerard Kassar, “or once again gives up the playing field to the left-wing Legislature.”  

But Hochul signaled Saturday that she will not pack the upcoming budget extender with controversial spending proposals, which the Legislature would have to either approve or reject at the risk of a government shutdown and ensuing political blowback.

“This time we’re going to have a clean extender,” she said.

Members of the state Senate and Assembly are expected to return to the Capitol Monday, in order to approve another spending resolution to keep the state government running, amid stalled talks between Hochul and legislative leaders.

It remained unclear as of Saturday afternoon exactly how long that extension might last — though the one expiring Monday lasted one week after it was approved.

Hochul reiterated her demands for looser bail laws, more charter schools in New York City, and new affordable housing rules that suburbanites complain would undermine local zoning control.

While Heastie and Stewart-Cousins and their Democratic supermajorities have resisted those demands so far, Hochul expressed hope that more negotiations might break the fiscal logjam after the three leaders blew past the original April 1 budget deadline.

“We will get it done. We will get it done together and I’m more concerned about getting the right results,” Hochul said.