Sunday, March 23, 2025
Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her State of the State address earlier this month, and presented her fiscal year 2026 Executive Budget proposal. These moments should inspire New Yorkers, offering a clear vision for addressing challenges and paving the way for a better, safer and more affordable future. Sadly, what we received was a patchwork of empty promises and temporary fixes that fall far short of the bold, systemic solutions we so desperately need to turn our state around.
Hochul’s recognition of issues like affordability, child care, mental health and school meals is a step in the right direction. However, her proposals lack the depth and vision required to address these challenges at their core. Instead of a blueprint for success, we were offered fleeting remedies that fail to confront the systemic problems caused by years of one-party rule in Albany.
Take affordability, for example. The governor’s “inflation refund checks” would offer temporary relief, but would do little to address the root causes of high costs. State spending has surged by 38 percent over the past six years, with a proposed $8.6 billion increase in this year’s budget alone. New York spends more than the states of Texas and Florida combined, and 1.5 times more per person than California.
This unsustainable spending drives up taxes, squeezing middle-class families and small businesses. A proposed $1 billion middle-class tax cut is welcome, but is dwarfed by a $70 billion spending increase. It’s akin to putting pennies in one pocket while emptying the other.
Hochul’s silence on repealing congestion pricing, which burdens suburban commuters, is equally disheartening. This policy, combined with new energy taxes, electric bus mandates and the “cap and invest” program, compounds the financial strain on families and businesses. The administration’s failure to address the affordability crisis seriously risks pushing more New Yorkers to leave the state.
Public safety remains another glaring omission. While adding more police in New York City subways is a positive step, it addresses the symptoms of crime rather than its causes. There’s still no acknowledgment of the disastrous bail reform laws that have turned courthouses into revolving doors for criminals.
Judges remain powerless to consider defendants’ dangerousness when setting bail, and the governor has ignored calls to repeal sanctuary-state policies that prevent law enforcement from cooperating with federal efforts to address illegal immigration.
Long Island, in particular, has been left behind. Hochul’s budget fails to address the fiscal crisis facing Nassau University Medical Center, the region’s only safety-net hospital. Nor does it fix the flawed changes to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program or provide adequate measures to improve early-intervention programs. These are critical issues that directly impact our communities, yet they remain unaddressed.
The governor’s $252 billion budget proposal is a staggering $100 billion larger than it was a decade ago, raising serious concerns about sustainability. At a time when residents are leaving the state in record numbers, runaway spending, coupled with new taxes on the horizon, threatens to deepen the state’s fiscal and economic woes.
There are glimmers of hope in proposals like the middle-class tax cut, expanded funding for schools and enhanced child tax credits. But these measures alone won’t solve the systemic issues at the heart of our affordability and public-safety crises.
The Senate Republicans’ “Liberate New York” agenda offers a stark contrast, emphasizing long-term solutions over short-term political wins. Our approach focuses on reducing taxes, repealing harmful regulations and restoring public safety — steps necessary to make New York a state where families can thrive and businesses can grow.
Moving forward, we must scrutinize the details of Hochul’s spending plan with a critical eye. Temporary fixes and feel-good measures aren’t enough. New Yorkers deserve sustainable solutions that address the real challenges they face. As the April 1 budget deadline approaches, we must ask ourselves, are we laying the groundwork for a prosperous future, or merely kicking the can down the road? Without a significant shift in priorities, New York risks perpetuating a cycle of fiscal mismanagement and declining quality of life.
It’s time to roll up our sleeves and deliver real solutions. By restoring common sense and embracing a bipartisan commitment to bold, systemic change, we can turn our state around and unlock its true potential. I remain hopeful and ready to fight for a safer, more affordable New York — because New Yorkers deserve nothing less.
Steve Rhoads represents the 5th State Senate District.
