ALBANY - The state budget will include a $29.6 million increase in aid for cities to help New Yorkers struggling with local property taxes, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said Thursday.

“Despite the fact that we faced a budget gap of over $4.6 billion, providing additional aid to cities was a priority in this budget,” Bruno said.

The state Senate is also expected to reject a “car tax” proposed in the executive budget that would have permanently raised the motor vehicle law enforcement fee from $5 to $20. Instead, they're proposing extending the current fee of $5 for one year only.

The Senate also is expected to reject a nearly $5 million plan to expand broadband Internet access in New York.

Senate Republicans say they support making broadband available to more people, but the additional money isn't urgently needed because $5 million that previously had been allotted for that purpose was just released last month.

After two weeks of negotiations, lawmakers are still trying to agree on the $124 billion state budget plan, which was due Tuesday.

The Senate and Assembly hoped to complete the budget by late Friday, but they haven't agreed on a number of difficult areas including education.

The Senate passed a bill Thursday that would require judges to sentence repeat violent felons to life in prison without the possibility of parole after three offenses.