CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR HOCHUL’S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

ALBANY, NY – Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick released the following statement in response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State Address:

“Earlier in the week, I joined my Senate Republican colleagues to unveil ‘Liberate New York,’ an agenda focused on securing a stronger and more prosperous future for New York.

Yesterday, Governor Hochul unveiled her own agenda. Many of the highlights from her agenda, especially regarding affordability, sound similar to what my colleagues and I have been advocating for over the past few years. Fighting to enhance access to affordable childcare and mental health resources, particularly for youth in schools, have been priorities of mine since taking office, and I am happy to see these issues addressed. Ensuring that students receive free school meals, which allows them to focus on school work without being distracted by hunger, is also a vital endeavor. These initiatives are essential and warrant inclusion in the final budget.

However, what concerns me is what the Governor left unsaid. Returning taxpayer dollars to New Yorkers and building on the Senate Republican Conference’s 2016 Middle Class Tax Cuts would serve as critical financial lifelines to so many New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet, but increasing the costs of living elsewhere would negate this much needed relief. There was no mention of repealing ‘Congestion Pricing,’ a punitive tax on commuters that will only worsen the financial strain on families. New or increased energy taxes paired with costly mandates will exacerbate the burden households and businesses are facing across the state, and it is imperative that Albany restores local decision-making back to local communities when it comes to siting major development projects.

Further, blaming judges for the state’s catch and release bail policies is an attempt to deflect responsibility for our current crisis that resulted from failed policies out of Albany under one-party control. Putting police officers in every subway car for six months will be great—for six months. A long term solution to improve public safety would be to restore the commonsense practice of allowing judges to consider dangerousness when determining bail, thereby getting criminals off the streets. However, like with congestion pricing, here the Governor again proposes short term reprieve while imposing long term problems.

While the Governor’s agenda offers some bright spots and opportunities for bipartisan consensus, we need to ensure each element of the budget is ultimately promoting affordability and safety for New Yorkers. Gimmicks like delaying congestion pricing until after an election or branding lower-than-initially-proposed tolls as ‘savings’ to New Yorkers will do nothing to offer the residents of our state a better future. The residents of the 9th Senate District entrusted me to be their voice and ensure the State’s priorities align with their needs. I am committed to this responsibility and will continue advocating for our community to advance the well-being of Long Island and all of New York State.”