Following a disappointing November election for Democrats, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a major series of initiatives addressing a variety of policy issues during her annual “State of the State Address.”
The address, delivered last Tuesday in Albany, touched on public concerns ranging from cost of living and taxes to public safety and mental health. Over 200 different proposals were included in Hochul’s agenda, outlined in a book accompanying her speech. Before Hochul took the stage, attendees watched musical performances by a local marching band and a Baptist Church choir. Religious blessings were then given by a rabbi, pastor and imam.
After thanking fellow state government leaders and other guests, Hochul began by outlining some objectives that her administration pledged to continue pursuing.
“My fellow New Yorkers, as we reflect on the State of our great State, the Empire State, two things are very clear to me,” Hochul said. “Our future depends on the ability of every family to afford the essentials of life, and our ability to protect the safety and security of our residents. But we will not achieve these goals without a fight.”
Public concern over affordability was a central theme throughout her speech. Hochul proposed slashing taxes for around 8.3 million taxpayers earning up to $323,200 after jointly filing. She proposed sending direct payments to residents — $300 for single taxpayers earning less than $150,000 and $500 for joint filers earning less than $300,000 — to address affordability concerns. Funding for the payments would come from sales tax revenue, which has ballooned due to inflation.
Hochul also plans to expand the state child tax credit, with many families eligible to receive up to a $1,000 credit for a child under 4 years old and up to $500 for an older child or teenager under 16. She proposed making school breakfast and lunch free for all children, regardless of family income.
“I was pleased to hear Governor Hochul’s shared commitment to making New York a more affordable place for working families in her State of the State address today,” State Sen. Lea Webb ‘04, who represents the 52nd Senate District, wrote. “In addition, I was encouraged to hear the Governor’s priorities include expanding the childhood tax credit, making childcare more affordable and accessible for families, increasing our investments in education and youth mental health, and finally making school meals free for all students.”
“While I am happy to see the Governor’s continued commitment to addressing the housing shortage across New York, we must also ensure we enact strong protections and expand resources for renters and homeowners to keep families in their homes,” she added.
Hochul also addressed public safety concerns during her speech. In response to a series of high-profile crimes on New York City subways, she proposed and recently began deploying dozens of overtime police officers to ride in subway cars. Her plan will eventually deploy around 300 officers to ride on all overnight trains. She also proposed expanding the state’s Mental Hygiene Law to increase the number of individuals with mental illness eligible for involuntary commitment. Current law permits the commitment of individuals who pose a “substantial threat” of harm to themselves or others.
Hochul’s $252 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 — released on Tuesday — would also allocate millions of dollars to enhance assisted outpatient treatment and expand access to voluntary treatment. Hochul responded to critics of her proposal by framing the effort as being “about having the humanity and the compassion to help people incapable of helping themselves.”
Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, who represents Greater Binghamton in the State Assembly, called involuntary commitment “the last resort” in the state’s ineffective mental health care system.
“Our lack of investment in primary prevention, early intervention, and long-term treatment has resulted in numerous people falling through the cracks,” Lupardo wrote. “We shouldn’t stereotype mentally ill individuals as being prone to violence, when they are more likely to be the victims of violence. On the other hand, we can’t allow them to languish under inhumane conditions. If we’re serious about tackling this problem, we’re going to have to make substantial investments in the entire mental healthcare delivery system.”
Hochul delivered the address amid uncertain political standing. A poll conducted by Siena College’s Research Institute in December 2024 found that Hochul had a 39 to 49 percent approval rating, with 57 percent of registered voters preferring to elect someone else in a gubernatorial race. Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, has previously called Hochul “the worst Governor in America” and has hinted at running against her in 2026.
She might also expect a challenge from within her own party, with Bronx Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres reportedly considering a bid for governor as well.
“Kathy Hochul is the new Joe Biden,” Torres wrote in a post on the platform X last week. “If Hochul is at the top of the ticket in 2026, we as Democrats are in grave danger of not only losing the governorship to a Republican for the first time in more than 20 years but also losing multiple congressional seats. Hochul is a down-ballot disaster in the making.”