Thanks to the state's budget issues, "Gov. David Paterson has temporarily halted income tax refund checks, with the last batch going out March 12 and no more scheduled to be sent until April 1," according to the Times Union. Budget Director Robert Megna tried to downplay the delay, explaining that the state has big Medicaid and school payments this month, "We paid all the way up until we hit $1.25 billion (in refunds)." So far, about 1.35 million have their refunds already; the Times Union says, "Typically, more than 5 million of the 9 million New Yorkers who file get refunds, averaging about $1,000 each."