In Tuesday’s State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul made clear how deeply concerned she is. . . about her re-election in 2026.
She feigned concern about voters’ top issues, such as crime and “affordability,” yet offered little reason to hope for progress on either front.
“Your family is my fight,” Hochul vowed as she encouraged several initiatives that sound good on paper.
But don’t be fooled.
Yes, her proposed tax cuts are better than nothing, but they are far too small and limited.
Her “inflation refund” is $500 (or less), even though Bidenflation will reduce real incomes by thousands one year.
And inflation has permanently raised prices; her checks (funded by your taxes) are a one-time bribe.
Moreover, Hochul pretends to talk about ‘affordability’ right after imposing a new $9 tax on anyone entering Manhattan below 60th Street.
Faced with public anger over dangerous mentally ill people plaguing the streets and subways, the government is calling for an expansion of involuntary commitment and strengthening Kendra’s law, which makes treatment mandatory.
Yet her past clashes with lawmakers suggest she won’t find meaningful solutions there either.
She’s singing a new tune about crime – unlike when she almost lost the 2022 election after claiming it wasn’t an issue.
“The chaos must end,” she snaps now. She promises more police in the metro and wants judges to “end the cycle of rinse and repeat of offenders being released.”
Again, nice words. But to end recidivism and reduce crime, she must deliver results important solutions to the laws that fuel crime – cashless bail, Raise the Age, etc.
And she won’t touch the ones with a 10 foot pole.
Nor will she abandon the state’s disastrous green agenda, which imposes ever-increasing costs on every New Yorker even as it increasingly endangers the state’s power grid.
Oh, and she’s fine with horrible public schools; she offered no plan to increase (or eliminate) the cap for public charters, which perform better.
The government did calling for free school breakfasts and lunches (even for those who do). can pay), free community education and universal childcare.
All funded by taxpayerswhile the state is already dealing with $15.6 billion in “structural” red ink.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to strengthen her left flank, Hochul launched several (ridiculous) attacks on big ‘bad’ corporate bogeymen.
Most egregiously, she claimed that the LA fires “will be the future as we sacrifice Mother Nature on the altar of profit.”
No, that’s what you get as state and local governments not doing their job – as does the New York government’s inability to ensure that returning criminals end up in prison.
Hochul realizes her re-election is in serious trouble, with only 33% of voters saying they support her.
Too bad she has no idea how to turn that around.
