ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday pledged to safeguard New York’s future and keep the state the best place in the nation to raise a family as she unveiled her $260 billion budget proposal.
At least two Hudson Valley Republicans disagreed, arguing the state is already sideways when it comes to overspending.
Hochul’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget includes no income tax increases, expands child care funding, continues increases in school aid for every district, and raises the state’s share of Medicaid spending by several billion dollars to offset federal cuts enacted last year.
Assemblyman Matt Slater (R, C–Yorktown) criticized the proposal, noting that the state budget has grown by $51 billion, about 25 percent, since Hochul took office.
“We can all find programs we support in a $260 billion budget, but the fundamental question is whether increased government spending puts more money in the pockets of hardworking New Yorkers, and we know it doesn’t,” Slater said. “As families struggle with rising housing, energy, and everyday costs, this budget doubles down on big-government spending without a clear explanation of how New Yorkers are expected to pay for it.”
Hochul said the 0.7 percent, or $8 billion, increase over last year’s budget is necessary to offset federal funding reductions. She emphasized that “every dollar in this year’s budget is being put to work to fight for families,” while also prioritizing the state’s reserves, which currently total $14.6 billion for an unexpected economic downturn. The Governor’s proposal would also eliminate taxes on tipped wages up to $25,000 per year and provide $30 million in targeted relief for farmers impacted by the federal government’s tariffs.
Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R, C–Deerpark) described the proposal as “another bloated, out-of-touch state budget” that fails to deliver the financial relief residents need.
Brabenec did acknowledge positives in the proposal, including a $1.7 billion increase in child care funding and the absence of new taxes. However, he said the budget does not address “broader systemic issues” needed to “improve quality of life and curb outmigration.”
Hochul’s final budget is due by April 1, the start of the new fiscal year.