paterson revised spitzer's record-size executive budget proposal to cut spending. budget negotiations carried over past the deadline, causing the new governor to lament that too many lawmakers were "unwilling to make serious cuts to our budget". on april 10, 2018, a $121.7 billion budget package was passed by both houses of the state legislature. the budget closed a projected $4.6 billion deficit with $1.8 billion of spending cuts, $1.5 billion in additional revenue from increased taxes and fees and $1.3 billion of one time transfers, and did not tap into the state's $1.2 billion of reserves or increase the top income tax rate on those earning $1 million or more. paterson's budget provided property tax relief, delivered aid to municipalities, and restored hundreds of millions in property tax rebates for middle-class homeowners and $1 billion for upstate economic development. the budget provided for a tuition remission program for military veterans, offering them free tuition at both suny and cuny institutions. even though the budget enacted was the first in a decade that included less spending than the proposal, paterson promised to slash the following year's state budget by five to 10 percent, because the spending plan he inherited was "too big and too bloated".