New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her annual State of the State address on Jan. 13 to announce the state’s agenda for the new year.

Hochul unveiled several initiatives during the speech, which focused on public safety and affordability. The address, which provided her an opportunity to discuss her priorities and goals for the year, was accompanied last week by the release of Hochul’s official state budget book.

“When people work hard, when someone has their back, it can change the entire course of their life,” Hochul said during the address. “And that is why I believe with my whole heart that government can and must be a force for good. And over the last four years we’ve proven it.”

Hochul’s public safety plans included a crackdown on 3D-printed guns, increased police presence on New York City subways and a 25-foot “buffer zone” around places of worship and healthcare facilities to prevent obstructions during demonstrations. She also proposed an initiative to promote youth mental health and protect children online.

Child care was a prominent focus of the address. Hochul announced a new $4.5 billion plan to support a program that will offer all New Yorkers universal child care, aiming to achieve universal Pre-K statewide by the 2028-2029 school year. Hochul will partner with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to eventually “deliver free child care for two-year-olds in New York City.”

As a result of the governor’s investment plan, Broome County will be receiving approximately $20 million for a pilot program aimed at children three years old and under.

In a statement to Pipe Dream, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo MA ‘84 said that while Hochul’s plans would benefit Binghamton residents with plans for universal child care, continued funding for the University and SUNY Broome and affordable housing initiatives, she had concerns about other policies the Governor was pursuing.

“While her plans regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will protect schools, hospitals, houses of worship from civil immigration enforcement, unless they have judicial warrants, signed by a judge, many of us had hoped she would go further,” Lupardo wrote. “We would also like to see strict limits on local law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE.”

Local law enforcement’s increasing compliance with ICE has come under fire recently, with local jails housing detainees who await further proceedings. As of Dec. 22, 53 ICE detainees were in custody at the Broome County Jail. This number included Chinese whistleblower Guan Heng, who allegedly documented the imprisonment of Uyghurs and other minorities in China.

“As we officially begin this year’s budget season, we face unprecedented challenges as the Trump regime continues to make devastating cuts to essential services and funding that we all depend on, harming our immigrant communities and other efforts to create divisiveness to our communities,” State Senator Webb ‘04 said in an email to Pipe Dream. “We must work together around a shared agenda that meets the moment and puts New Yorkers first.”

Notably, Hochul’s plans do not call for raising state income taxes.

Lupardo also addressed the Governor’s plans on increased reliance on nuclear power.

“I also have concerns about her ‘Nuclear Reliability Backbone Initiative,’ which would direct state agencies to establish a clear pathway for additional advanced nuclear power generation,” Lupardo said. “I have reservations about the use of nuclear power in general.”

Hochul’s plan, directed at the New York Power Authority, calls for the development of a nuclear power plant in Upstate New York, part of a larger push for the state to build a “clean energy economy.” A location for the site has not yet been announced, but Broome County Executive Jason Garnar ‘99 said his office was interested in potentially having such a plant built

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to address rising utility bills, housing costs, healthcare, childcare, and the overall cost of living,” Webb wrote. “That means going further to protect working families, reduce pollution, and build a more affordable, sustainable, and secure future for every New Yorker.”