AFTER DELIVERING HER VISION FOR THE YEAR IN THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS EARLIER THIS MONTH, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL FOLLOWED UP WITH THE FRAMEWORK IN HER FISCAL YEAR '25 EXECUTIVE BUDGET UNVEILING.

AND TODAY, NEW YORK WILL LEARN ABOUT HOW WE'RE PRESENTING A SOLID, BALANCED BUDGET WITHOUT CUTS OR ADDED BURDENS.

THE $233 BILLION BUDGET WOULD BE THE LARGEST BUDGET IN THE STATE'S HISTORY AND ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR, IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT RAISING INCOME TAXES.

NOW THERE IS GROWTH.

STATE SPENDING IS UP NEARLY $6 BILLION OVER LAST YEAR.

THAT'S A 4.5% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR AND ACROSS OUR MAJOR SPENDING CATEGORIES.

THIS BUDGET PROVES THAT YOU CAN HAVE FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND THAT CAN COEXIST WITH PEOPLE-DRIVEN PROGRESSIVE POLICIES.

WE DID IT WITH A LASER FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF EVERYDAY NEW YORKERS.

NOW IN THE COMING YEAR WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON SOME OF THE STUBBORN ISSUES.

ALL WHILE ADVOCATES AND PROGRESSIVE LAWMAKERS HAVE CALL ON HOCHUL TO INCREASE TAXES ON WEALTHY NEW YORKERS.

THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL EMPHASIZED CRIME, PUBLIC HEALTH, AFFORDABILITY, HEALTH CARE AND HELPING THE STATE'S ECONOMY.

THE TRUTH IS, WE CAN'T SPEND LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW BECAUSE TOMORROW ALWAYS COMES.

AFTER GLOSSING OVER THE TOPIC IN HER STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, ALL EYES WERE ON THE GOVERNOR TO GIVE MORE DETAIL ON HOW SHE PLANNED TO HELP ADDRESS THE MIGRANT CRISIS THIS YEAR.

LAST YEAR, THE STATE PROVIDED $1.9 BILLION IN FUNDING TO HELP WITH THE INFLUX OF MIGRANTS.

THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED $2.4 BILLION TO HELP WITH THE CRISIS.

$500 MILLION OF WHICH WILL COME FROM THE STATE'S RESERVES, WHICH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAID IS INTENDED FOR USE DURING ONE-TIME EMERGENCIES.

WE'RE DOING THIS NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THE MIGRANTS AND FORTH CITY OF NEW YORK, WE ALSO KNOW THAT COMPANIES WON'T DO BUSINESS IN NEW YORK.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS WHERE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED BECAUSE THE CITY IS FORCED TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

WE MUST SUPPORT THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN THIS MOMENT TO AVOID THESE DISASTROUS EFFECTS AND TO PROTECT OUR ECONOMY AND STATE REVENUES FOR THE SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM AS WELL.

WHEN ASKED BY REPORTERS ABOUT USING THE STATE'S RESERVES TO HELP FUND THE MIGRANT CRISIS, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE MAINTAINED THAT RESERVES SHOULD BE USED IN TIMES OF NEED.

RESERVE FUNDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR DIFFICULT TIMES, AND I THINK THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME.

SO USING RESERVES FOR THIS FITS THE PRESS DEPENDENT.

MEANWHILE, ASSEMBLY REPUBLICAN MINORITY LEADER WILLIAM BARCLAY PLACED BLAME ON DEMOCRATS FOR NOT ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE ISSUES.

WELL, HERE WE GO.

HOW COME WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION?

WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON THAT HASN'T ADDRESSED THE BORDER CRISIS, HAS NOT SECURED THE BORDER, AND SHE SAID SHE WILL GO BACK DOWN TO WASHINGTON I THINK SHE SAID.

SHE'S GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR A MORE SECURE BOARDER AND LOOK FOR FEDERAL MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I'M NOT THRILLED TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON THE MIGRANT RICE IS AS.

I DON'T THINK USING THE RAINY DAY FUND IS A GREAT IDEA.

I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PICK UP THE TAB.

THE MINORITY LEADER SAID HE WAS PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNOR ADDRESSED ISSUES THAT THE CONFERENCE HAS PRIORITIZED, INCLUDING OUTMIGRATION, CRIME, AND AFFORDABILITY.

STATE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS SAID, THERE IS MORE TO COME WITH UPCOMING BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.

OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE CHITTED TO CONTINUE TO FINANCIALLY UPHOLD NEW YORK CITY.

THIS IS HER APPROACH.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HER APPROACHES TO A LOT OF THINGS IN THE BUDGET.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE AN EXCITING SEASON.

WE CAN'T WAIT.

ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE BUDGET THAT GAINED TRACTION WAS HOUSING.

FOLLOWING THE FIGHT OVER HOUSING BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE BUDGET PROVIDED THE DETAILS OF A MORE MODEST HOUSING PLAN.

WHEN I PRESENTED A TRANSFORMATIVE HOUSING PLAN LAST YEAR, A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE SAID THEY WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT.

OTHERS SAID THEY WANTED LOCAL CONTROL FOR HOUSING DECISIONS.

OKAY.

LET'S PUT THAT TO THE TEST.

NEW YORK CITY, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SHOULD GET TO CONTROL, THE LOCAL CONTROL THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR.

THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNOR CALLED FOR A NEW TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAM, OFFICE BUILDING CONVERSIONS AND THE LEGALIZATION OF BASEMENT APARTMENTS TO HELP THE HOUSING CRISIS IN NEW YORK CITY.

NOW AS GOVERNOR, I'LL CONTINUE TO TAKE EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON HOUSING.

AND I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM MY FRIENDS IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT THEY BELIEVE MORE IN CARROTS THAN STICKS.

LET'S DO THAT, TOO TO INCENTIVIZE HOUSING GROWTH IN THE SUBURBS AND FOR IN PARTICULAR, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MAKES ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD.

SO HOW WE'LL DO THAT?

WE'LL PUT THE CARROTS TO TEST AS WELL.

AND ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED DEVELOPING 15,000 HOUSING UNITS AS STATE-OWNED SITES AND REQUIRING LOCALITIES TO RECEIVE PRO-HOUSING CERTIFICATES TO ACCESS STATE FUNDING.

BUT PROGRESSIVE LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN PUSHING THE GOVERNOR TO FOCUS ON TENANT PROTECTIONS, AND ADVOCATES DOUBLED DOWN ON THEIR CALLS FOR THOSE PROTECTIONS IN THE DAYS AFTER THE UNVEILING OF THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET.

AT A RALLY, TRACY ADAMS, A LOCAL ORGANIZER WITH VOCAL NEW YORK CALLS ON HOCHUL TO INVEST IN THE HOUSING ACCESS VOUCHER PROGRAM AND ENACT A BUDGET THAT WOULD ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HIV HOUSING ASSISTANCE.

YEAH.

I COVERED THE WHOLE STATE OF NEW YORK.

IN 2020, MY LANDLORD EVICTED ME.

THAT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, IF WE HAD VESTED STATE HOUSING, I WOULDN'T LEAVE MY HOME AND GO TO ANOTHER CITY LOOKING FOR HOUSING.

ADD VOTE THE TODAYS WILL CONTINUE TO CALL ON THE GOVERNOR TO TAKE ACTION ON A SLEW OF OTHER HIGH PROFILE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, INCLUDING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY, SAFE INJECTION SITES AND SUPPORT HEALTH-BASED APPROACHES TO CRIME.

THE RELEASE OF THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET MEANS BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDERWAY.

THE LEGISLATURE HAS RELEASED A PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, NEW YORKERS WILL GIVE THEIR INPUT ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE STATE'S BUDGETS, INCLUDING HEALTH, MENTAL HYGIENE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC PROTECTION AND MORE.