By Michael V. Cusenza
Talk about ambitious.
In her 2025 State of the State address on Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul not only touted her laurels, but also trumpeted more than 200 initiatives planned for the coming years.
Highlights of the speech included:
- Cutting middle class taxes for more than 8.3 million New York taxpayers – lowest level in nearly 70 years
- Sending inflation refund checks of up to $500 to over 8.6 million New York households
- Expanding New York’s child tax credit to provide up to $1,000 per child to 1.6 million families
- Fighting for the full restoration of the SALT deduction to provide much needed relief for New Yorker
- Providing universal free school meals for every single one of New York State’s over 2.7 million kids
- Putting New York on the path to universal child care and investing $110 million in child care capital funding
- Advancing another nation-leading legislative proposal to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY Benefit
- Expanding access to infertility treatments, increasing support for New Yorkers hoping to start a family
- Distributing free diapers and other supplies for 100,000 babies
- Streamlining the discovery process to ensure fair trials, end procedural delays and hold criminals accountable
- Strengthening the state’s response capabilities to fight transnational criminal networks operating along the northern border
- Combating sexual assault and domestic violence with new protections to help survivors
- Proposing first-in-the-nation Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters
- Proposing additional funding to expand investments in crime prevention technology and equipment for local law enforcement agencies
- Closing loopholes to crack down on drugged driving, protect New Yorkers on the road
- Expanding technological and coordinating capacities of law enforcement agencies to enhance crime prevention
- Proposing new initiatives to recruit, train and protect first responders, supporting those who step into harm’s way to keep New Yorkers safe
- Supporting veterans with critical mental health investments and proposing legislation to expand support for gold star families
- Expanding resources for crime victims by increasing compensation thresholds and dedicating more funding to Child Advocacy Centers
- Establishing a Mass Violence Crisis Response Team to coordinate across agencies, levels of government and community stakeholders to guarantee each crisis is met with the full resources available
Hochul said Thursday’s announcement would reduce barriers to care and ensure the facilitation of earlier intervention for individuals at risk of harm by revising the criteria for involuntary commitment and addressing the current shortcomings in New York’s Mental Hygiene Law:
- Amending New York’s Mental Hygiene Law to address gaps in the standards for involuntary commitment
- Strengthening Kendra’s Law, which governs Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) for individuals with serious mental illness, to ensure New Yorkers with severe mental illness are connected with the care they need
- Continuing record-setting investments in youth mental health, and build on $1 billion plan to transform the mental health continuum of care
Hochul on housing:
- Bolstering Pro-Housing Community Program by investing $100 million to support critical housing infrastructure
- Creating the State’s first revolving loan fund to spur mixed-income rental development outside of New York City
- Strengthening tools to unlock housing development, including vacant or historic property redevelopment
- Proposing legislation to crack down on landlords using price-fixing algorithms to drive up housing costs and restricting private equity purchases of single and two-family homes
As far as transportation, Hochul proposed:
- Advancing the Second Avenue Subway and critical capital projects
- Working with the Legislature to support a transformative MTA Capital Plan
- Moving the Albany Waterfront reimagining project into environmental review and conceptual design
- Advancing studies for capping portions of the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the next phase
- Enhancing safety for Work Zone and Transportation Workers
- Improving safety at New York City’s Elementary School Intersections
- Reclassifying Ultra-Heavy Class 3 E-Bikes as Mopeds
- Allowing New York City to lower speed limits in bike lanes
“Your family is my fight — and I will never stop fighting for the people of New York,” Hochul said. “New Yorkers expect results and that’s why I fight day in and day out to make New York safer, healthier, cleaner, more affordable for you and your family — and that is what we’re doing with the initiatives announced as part of my 2025 State of the State.”
In a statement, Mayor Eric Adams praised Hochul’s speech.
“At a moment when our state faces a historic affordability crisis, Governor Hochul understands this bold action would make a meaningful difference for hundreds of thousands of our city’s residents,” he said. “As the legislative session begins, our administration is, once again, looking forward to working with Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea-Stewart Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and all of our partners in Albany to make our city safer, more affordable, and the best place to raise a family.”
Hochul critics essentially reacted by asking the governor, “Show me the money” that will pay for all of this.
“In my experiences working with initiatives proposed by mayors and governors, I’ve always asked how they will pay for such proposals and Governor Hochul’s proposed initiatives in her 2025 State of the State are no exception,” said State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven). “While I commend Governor Hochul on making family a priority and focusing on safety, affordability, childcare, preventing food insecurity and increasing access to education, I once again become curious as to how her administration plans to pay for such initiatives.
“As Chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, I have several ideas for revenue and possibly how to fund several of Governor Hochul’s proposals.
“I agree with many of her ideas and was even a co-sponsor of the mentioned Climate Superfund Act, however her support of Mayor Adams’ City of Yes and congestion pricing, both of which I don’t support, and her lack of highlighting possible improvements to health care programs concerns me. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul and my colleagues in government to create a more resilient, safer and affordable state as we move forward in the new year.”
