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Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State Address this week was heavy on theatrics, pageantry and rhetoric – and even some dancing – and light on specific policy details.
But aside from a few unexpected artistic performances, the event fell in line with Albany tradition. The governor's annual State of the State typically offers a general vision for the coming year. In contrast, the Executive Budget proposal presents the actual blueprint and, most importantly, the cost to taxpayers.
Tuesday's presentation directed much of the focus toward topics the Assembly Minority Conference has advocated for years: affordability and crime. It's encouraging New Yorkers finally heard an acknowledgement of two issue areas that have been plaguing the state. And it can't be ignored that the state's cost-of-living crisis and public safety shortcomings are the direct result of Democrats' persistently poor policy decisions. Recognizing the problem is a good first step. Welcome to the party, Governor.
However, after seeing the damage caused by six years of Albany's One-Party Rule, it is hard to believe Democrats want to reverse course on their agenda. The governor talks about lowering the cost of living in New York, but every budget she facilitates sets a new spending record. She talks about keeping families and businesses here, but the state continues to be ranked as the worst tax climate in the nation. According to the Tax Foundation, New York is dead last on the 2025 State Tax Competitiveness Index. She talks about putting police on subway trains but has made no indication she will roll back the laws allowing career criminals to walk free hours after being arrested. And while Gov. Hochul has floated a middle-class tax cut (another Republican idea), the Democratic leaders of the state Senate and Assembly have stated tax increases may be on the table.
As the governor prepares to deliver her budget proposal on Tuesday, I urge her to break the pattern of the state's budget approach in recent years. Runaway spending of taxpayer dollars cannot continue; one-time tax refund checks are not enough; taxes and fees for every region, economic class and business sector must come down. Driving to work in New York City should not cost a single cent more than it already did. Congestion pricing needs to be repealed. If there is even a single mention of any new taxes in the budget, it will be one too many.
Achieving a more affordable New York will be an uphill battle so long as big-ticket legislation like the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which will cost untold billions to fully execute, remains the law of the land. Reshaping New York's economic future will require a reset on many of the policies the governor and her allies in the Legislature have championed. If the governor is serious about her State of the State goals, we'll know as the 2025-2026 State Budget begins to take shape. New Yorkers can only hope the details inside match the lofty rhetoric of Tuesday's address.
If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or Twitter at @WillABarclay.
