Cuomo looks for zero-growth budget

His budget director issued a memo to state agencies telling them to submit spending plans based on "zero growth." A day later, the Democrat put a fine point on how he views next year.

"They're lucky it's zero," Cuomo said. "Zero is high to me."

Cuomo has tried to craft an image as a fiscally conservative Democrat.

In his first year, he pushed through New York's first overall spending cut in 15 years.

Last year, he approved a modest increase.

Keeping agency spending flat won't rile state legislators. The big test, yet to come, will be the governor's proposal for school spending.