State of the State: NY Governor Hochul talks tax cuts, combatting subway crime
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her State of the State address in Albany on Tuesday, and outlined how she plans to make New York more affordable as well as prioritize subway safety in New York City.
She announced a new series of middle-class tax cuts and devoted a portion of her speech to efforts to combat crime and mental illness, including involuntary confinement of the mentally ill on the subways and streets.
Her so-called affordability agenda also came as an opening salvo in her own reelection campaign, where she is expected to face a serious Democratic primary challenge and a contested general election next year.
"Worries about crime and struggles to make ends meet are far too common. Our state has to be livable and people here have to be able to afford to live in it," she said.
She said she will also move to combat fears over crime, expand mental health treatment services and work to strengthen security in the New York City subway system with additional police patrols on overnight trains and plans to install barriers and better lighting on platforms.
Subway safety
Hochul will partner with New York City to increase NYPD presence on platforms and trains by temporarily surging patrol levels in addition to the National Guardsmen that have been re-deployed into the transit system.
Approximately 750 NYPD officers will be stationed across New York City with an additional 300 in the train cars themselves. The increase in enforcement will prioritize 30 subways stations and transit hubs that account for 50% of crime in the transit system.
Hochul said she will also work with New York City to increase police patrols on every overnight train for the next six months. NYPD officers will work from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and there will be a uniformed officer onboard every subway train in service during those hours.
The governor will provide the funding to install platform edge barriers at more than 100 additional stations by the end of 2025. The selection of stations for the installation process will prioritize feasibility, including stations with standard car-stopping positions in segments of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, F, M and L trains. Among these train lines, stations with higher ridership levels and island platforms will be prioritized.
To address fare evasion, Hochul will invest in modern fare gates in more than 20 stations across the system in 2025, and an additional 20 stations in 2026. Additionally, exit gates will delay egress at 150 additional stations in an effort to reduce fare evasion.
The MTA will prioritize stations with higher ridership traffic, accessibility features and those with high fare evasion. Initial installation is scheduled to begin at 42 St-Port Authority, Delancey St-Essex St and Roosevelt Av-Jackson Heights.
Hochul said she will also provide funding to install LED lighting in all subway stations throughout the system which will increase visibility throughout the stations.
Tax cuts and affordability
Hochul also announced she is cutting taxes for more than 8.3 million middle-class New Yorkers, sending inflation refund checks and expanding the child tax credit.
"Under my plan, we'll return billions and billions of dollars in surplus sales tax revenue directly to 8.6 million hardworking New Yorkers. I'm talking about seniors, recent grads, families bringing in less than $300,000 a year," Hochul said.
Over the last week, Hochul has already outlined several proposals that have been packaged as part of an "affordability agenda," including:
- Free breakfast and lunch for all students in the state
- $1,000 per child tax credit, per child under age four, and up to $500 per child from 4 through 16
- $500 rebates for millions of New Yorkers, depending on their income
- Free tuition to state and city colleges for students pursuing associate degrees in certain high-demand fields
Hochul has been under attack in recent months by politicians looking to challenge her in a Democratic primary and Republicans promising to unseat her in 2026. Among them is Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who will be in Albany to deliver a rebuttal.
(Some information from the Associated Press)
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