ALBANY – Your family. Your future. My fight.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s theme during her annual State of the State address on Tuesday focused on affordability. The message fell flat on Hudson Valley Republicans, who said that costs keep rising in the state, resulting in families leaving in droves.
“The proposals outlined today are the complete antithesis of affordability,” said Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown). “Regardless of where you stand on the governor’s agenda, it’s impossible to deny that state spending is completely out of control. Until Albany gets its spending under control and focuses on responsible budgeting, New Yorkers across the state will continue to feel the consequences.”
“Last year, the Governor made affordability the centerpiece of her State of the State,” added Republican gubernatorial nominee and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. “One year later, New York is even less affordable, less safe, and deeper in debt. She’s had years, multiple budgets, and full control of Albany. If speeches fixed problems, New York would be thriving. Instead, families are struggling, and businesses are leaving.”
Hochul’s address outlined more than 200 initiatives to attempt to make the state more affordable, including a push toward universal child care, which would expand access for three-year-olds in New York City. Other initiatives included a crackdown on auto insurance fraud, a program to provide meals to schoolchildren during summer break, changes to the state’s environmental review laws for certain residential projects, eliminating state income tax on tips, and freezing tuition for SUNY and CUNY students for the seventh year in a row.
The Governor also addressed utility costs by demanding strict fiscal discipline from utilities, empowering the state to fight more effectively for lower bills, and supporting residents to make energy-saving investments such as weatherization and smart thermostats
Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh) said that he was “excited that Governor Hochul is focusing on the core issues of affordability and safety.”
“These are the nonnegotiable to ensure a good quality of life for all New Yorkers,” Jacobson said. “The Governor’s initiatives around universal childcare, especially expanding Pre-K, will benefit all regions of the state. I also applaud Governor Hochul’s work to get guns off the streets, including criminal penalties for 3D-printed guns. Lastly, I’m glad she mentioned the struggle we all face with rising utility bills. These initiatives will make neighborhoods safer, families more financially secure, and students more successful.”
“The devil is in the details, and we’ll be reviewing the Governor’s full budget when it’s released next week, but a few topline proposals stand out for the Hudson Valley,” added Senator Michelle Hinchey (D, Saugerties). “Getting the state to true Universal Childcare is an exciting and vital proposal, but as the details stand right now for communities outside New York City, there is a lot more that needs to be done in order to make that a reality. We will be fighting through negotiations to make this work for upstate and to help solve the childcare crisis in a truly universal way.”
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