Cuomo Runs Up $6.1 Billion N.Y. Deficit Despite Strong Economy

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo may be spending much of the new year explaining how he was caught off-guard by a $6.1 billion hole looming in his next state budget, caused mostly by rising Medicaid costs.

It’s the largest gap since Cuomo took office. Amid New York’s recovery from recession, he closed a $10 billion gap for the 2011-2012 fiscal year with cuts to health care, education and personnel. This shortfall, disclosed in a report last month, occurred during a strong economy as revenue increased. Critics say the third-term Democratic governor should have known better.

Now, as Cuomo prepares to ...