Statement From Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt On Governor Hochul’s 2025 Executive Budget Proposal

Instead of offering a fiscally responsible budget that delivers relief to hardworking families and struggling small businesses, the Governor’s massive $233 billion plan includes misguided spending priorities that will make New York even less affordable for years to come. More potential prison closures, changes in school funding, and a lack of significant investment in upstate roads and bridges is alarming. This budget, while crafted by a Western New York Governor, seems to elevate a New York City driven agenda, while the rest of the state is left to deal with problems created by bad policies from downstate Democrats. 

The Governor’s proposal includes a staggering $2.4 billion in taxpayer money to address the migrant crisis that far-left politicians welcomed to our state. This state shouldn’t spend a single dollar on this issue until we put an end to the sanctuary city policies that created this crisis in New York.

The Governor’s budget also fails to seriously address the public safety crisis confronting local communities all across our state.  She is proposing to spend millions of tax dollars on a series of  new programs, but completely fails to make the kind of fundamental reforms we need to restore law and order, combat serious crime, and keep our local communities safe and secure. 

As the budget process now moves forward, the Senate Republican Conference will be carefully examining every aspect of the Governor’s proposal, while also pushing for comprehensive, common sense reforms that will make our state safer, stronger and more affordable.