It was as if a small puff of white smoke could be seen over one of the chimneys at the Capitol in Albany when Governor Kathy Hochul summoned reporters and her staff members to a news conference announcing details of an almost agreed-upon state budget. However, this was a conceptual, preliminary agreement. The leaders of both legislative houses have not yet had a chance to take the details back to their rank-and-file members to review the details for final approval or additional tweaks. The budget was due on April 1, and could be a month late by the time lawmakers begin debating the nine budget bills and the spending plan is signed into law.
The legislature already added $2 billion on top of the $252 billion in Hochul’s proposed budget earlier this year.
“In January, I made a declaration that your family is my fight. I vowed to address the affordability crisis by putting thousands of dollars back in New Yorkers’ pockets; I vowed to make common sense changes to our discovery laws to keep dangerous criminals from walking free over frivolous technical errors; I vowed to put more police on our subways to drive down crime and ensure that every rider feels safe; and I vowed to get more New Yorkers who are suffering from mental illness the compassionate care they need; and I vowed to implement a bell-to-bell ban on smartphones in our schools so our kids can concentrate in class free from distraction. Well, we got it all done,” Hochul crowed as if she had just won the lottery.
She noted that “some final details are still yet to be worked out,” but said she did not expect the approximate numbers to change significantly.
Hochul first blasted the federal government for withdrawing money from New York state. “Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are threatening to slash federal dollars that are vital to New York. We’ve already been hit with over $1.3 billion in cuts. This may just be the tip of the iceberg, and the scale of these potential cuts is simply too massive for any one state to absorb,” she warned. “The reality is we can only devise a budget based on the information we have at this time. There’s a possibility that we’ll have to come back later this year and update our budget in response to federal actions.
“But at the end of the day, congressional Republicans – including seven from our state – have the power to stop these reckless federal cuts. They must find the political will to stand up to this administration and fight for the people they represent.”
Then she turned to New York’s economy, highlighting a four-point plan to benefit New Yorkers. “I’m delivering on my plan to ease New Yorkers’ financial stress by putting more money back in their pockets. First, our historic middle-class tax cut, which is bringing rates to their lowest in 70 years and delivering much needed relief to 8.3 million New Yorkers. Second, we’re tripling the size of the child tax credit, providing up to $1,000 per child under the age of four – which was literally zero when I first became governor – and up to $500 for school aged children in 2026. Third, we’re investing $340 million to provide free school breakfast and lunch to all K through 12 students, saving families $1,600 per child. And while I can’t singlehandedly stop inflation, I can help New Yorkers afford the basics, and that’s why we’re sending inflation refund checks to 8.2 million New Yorkers, hardworking taxpayers, up to $200 for individuals and $400 for families.”
Those check amounts are lower than Hochul proposed in her spending plan at the beginning of the year. Hochul did not mention that point.
She then pivoted to crime and law enforcement, a major sticking point that had held up the budget for an extra month. “We’re once again directing $357 million toward proven gun violence prevention programs and $50 million to upgrade police technology. We’re adding $8 million to increase safety along our border with Canada, giving us dedicated law enforcement and technology to stop transnational criminal organizations and the trafficking of guns, drugs and people,” Hochul said.
“We’re committing $35 million for security enhancements at synagogues, mosques, and other vulnerable locations, reaffirming that hate has no place in our state. We’re ramping up criminal penalties for anyone who wears a mask to hide their identity while committing a crime or fleeing a crime scene. This goes for any crime that’s an A-misdemeanor or higher.
“Let me be clear: I’m not making these massive investments in police and public safety and strengthening our laws just to watch as criminals walk free over trivial, technical issues. Too often crime victims watch in horror as their assailants walk free, not because they’re innocent but because of procedural technicalities. It’s my job to fight for those victims – many of whom are domestic violence victims – and that’s exactly what I did. This budget delivers common sense reforms that balance the scales of justice.
“Our amendments will prevent cases from being dismissed over minor prosecution omissions that don’t actually hurt the defense’s case. These common-sense changes protect defendants’ rights, which is important to me, while ensuring that victims get the justice they deserve,” Hochul stated.
The governor’s spending plan also addresses safety on the New York City subways. “We outlined a bold plan to ramp up the police presence in our subways, adding about 300 officers to overnight trains, and I promised to support this effort with $77 million, which we are now securing in this budget. With our state funding, the NYPD has assigned officers to every subway train from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The results have been swift and undeniable; subway crime is at its lowest rate in 27 years.
“But safety’s more than just about policing,” she continued. “For too long, those who are suffering from mental illness, severe mental illness, languish on our streets and in our subways…My administration has already invested $1 billion to rebuild our mental health system. We have more inpatient beds, more clinicians and a more compassionate approach to care.
“I’m proud to announce that as part of our budget, we’ve agreed to clarify and strengthen our involuntary commitment laws. This will allow us to connect people in the throes of severe mental illness with the life-saving care that they need and they deserve. We’re also expanding Kendra’s Law to ensure those with serious mental illness receive consistent, long-term treatment. We’re also investing $40 million in the Safe Option Support teams and new 24/7 shelter sites throughout the subway system,” she added.
The budget Hochul presented on Monday, April 28, called for rebuilding the New York City subway system and building new roadways from top to bottom. Most of these projects require taking out bonds, which would add to New York’s debt.
“We’re also improving the transportation infrastructure that connects our communities. We’re fully funding the $68-billion MTA capital plan to advance critical projects, including the Interborough Express, new Metro-North stations in the Bronx, faster service in the Hudson Valley, and critical repairs to avoid another summer of hell – and we found an equitable way to pay for it: We’re making modest adjustments to the payroll mobility tax to protect small businesses while ensuring large corporations contribute their share.
“Small businesses across the New York City region will actually see their tax burden reduced by half, while larger employers whose workforce heavily rely on mass transit will see some small increases. We’re taking the $1.2 billion previously allocated for Penn Station and using it to support this plan to fund safety improvements and stop fare evasion,” Hochul explained.
The Trump Administration has pledged to finance the rebuilding of Penn Station. While some state lawmakers fear the venerable train station will be named for the president, at least one liberal lawmaker is planning to sponsor legislation to prevent that from happening.
Hochul wrapped up her remarks on a cheerleading note.
“Because we’re New Yorkers, we don’t back down from challenges, we overcome them; we don’t give into cynicism, we embrace optimism; and we don’t settle for the status quo, we strive for far better,” she said. “Most importantly, to the people of New York, this budget’s for you.”
