January 10, 2022
From Mayor John Buckley:
The address was long on platitudes and short on details. I was happy the Governor mentioned fixing Bail Reform, but disappointed she didn’t provide an actual proposal to do so. Also, there was no mention of increasing AIM funding for cities and villages which has been frozen at the same level for 14 years all the while school districts have seen steady increases in State funding. These issues impact residents across the entire State and need to be addressed.
From Assemblyman Phil Palmesano:
“Gov. Hochul delivered the annual State of the State address outlining her priorities for the upcoming session. I hope for, and expect, more specific details about her agenda when she presents her Executive Budget Proposal later this month. One thing is for certain, the governor and Legislature must address the challenging affordability and public-safety crisis facing our state. Violent crime in our communities, out-of-control spending, over-taxation, record inflation, one-party rule and costly, burdensome regulations on our small-business owners are devastating hardworking New Yorkers and contributing to the alarming exodus of residents and businesses that continue to leave our state.
“Gov. Hochul knows that we have a serious out-migration problem; in fact, we have lost more than 500,000 New Yorkers over the past two years. If she is truly serious about reversing the costly trend, she will present the Legislature with a budget proposal that is fiscally responsible and reflects the concerns and financial struggles New Yorkers are facing around our state.
“I will continue to advocate for common-sense policies that prioritize public safety and crime victims over criminals; lowers taxes and regulations to help spur job creation and economic development; an energy policy that prioritizes affordability and reliability, and not just green, for our seniors, families and businesses; a transportation infrastructure plan that invests in our local roads and bridges, and not just the MTA; and to ensure we are prioritizing the care of our most vulnerable New Yorkers—individuals with developmental disabilities. Their care, services, quality of life, and the direct-support professionals who care for them, will continue to be a top priority for me and should be a major focus of the Legislature this session.
“I implore the governor and legislative leaders to work with us in a bipartisan manner during the upcoming year to address these critical issues. The taxpayer is owed nothing less.”
From Assemblyman Joe Giglio:
Gov. Hochul addressed some important priorities in her State of the State address but the invoice for her programs may be more than New Yorkers can afford. Federal relief programs that assisted us in the last budget cycle have expired and we should focus on the safety and security of our citizens.
“The governor wants to make New York ‘more affordable, more livable, safer’ for people across the state. Changes to the failed bail reform law and rebuilding our mental health system are a good start, but her plan to address changes during the budget process is not the right path. The budget should be a fiscal plan, not a document filled with policy items.
“I look forward to further review of the nearly 150 policy proposals the governor has promised in her document. It is time that state leaders put the concerns of New Yorkers at the forefront when discussing the direction of the state.”
From State Senator George Borrello: “As we approach a new legislative session and fresh opportunities to steer New York State in a positive direction, there were proposals in the Governor’s State of the State address that sounded promising and others that raised red flags.
“I was glad to hear Governor Hochul recognize that New York State’s outmigration is a problem we can no longer ignore. Acknowledgement is the first step in fixing any problem. However, the blueprint she outlined won’t stop the exodus. Some crowd-pleasing talking points accompanied a series of proposals that fall short of the change in direction we need.
“Perhaps the biggest disappointment was her lack of emphasis on public safety. Since our bail and parole laws were turned upside down, crime has spiraled in our cities and communities. While the Governor made vague references to ‘room for improvement’ with regard to the bail law, we need more than a lukewarm fix, particularly with poll after poll finding crime is the number one issue for New Yorkers. This so-called ‘reform’ has been such a disaster, we need to repeal it and start over.
“I do agree that strengthening our mental health system should be a priority and was encouraged at the investments the Governor promised in expanding inpatient mental health beds, outpatient services and better continuity of care. Proven programs like assisted outpatient treatment (AOT), a.k.a. Kendra’s Law, are tragically underutilized which is why I support legislation that would expand its impact.
“While we can agree that our state needs more affordable housing, the Governor’s proposal to make local governments responsible for achieving this or risk having the state step in and take over set off alarm bells. Restrictive zoning changes aren’t the only reason affordable housing is in short supply. The state’s overregulated construction industry, high taxes and other state-created obstacles play a role as well and unless changes are made on those issues, we won’t achieve a lasting solution.
“Our small businesses could be devastated by some of the proposals floated in this address, including the idea of tying the minimum wage to inflation and the Cap and Invest proposal. Another glaring omission was any mention of the state finally taking responsibility for its fraud-fueled $8 billion in unemployment insurance debt, which it has unjustly placed on the shoulders of our employers.”
“I look forward to receiving more detail on these proposals in the Executive Budget. While we all aspire to restore the ‘New York Dream’ the Governor referenced, we need a fundamental shift in direction to achieve that. Nothing I heard today has convinced me that true, significant change is on the agenda.
