Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled her $260 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget on Tuesday. Hochul revealed a spending plan aimed at strengthening affordability for families, expanding child care and education funding, boosting housing and infrastructure investment, and protecting public safety — all without raising income taxes for New Yorkers.
Lawmakers across upstate New York responded with skepticism over whether the budget provides meaningful relief for families facing high costs of living.
Assemblyman John Lemondes (R,C-LaFayette)
“Kathy Hochul once again has proved that her talk about affordability is cheap. New Yorkers could fund five Pennsylvanias with this budget, and yet this governor is clueless about who will pay for it. This proposal is nothing more than a case of weaponized incompetence against taxpayers. I will not support any budget that hurts working families or drives up costs for Central New Yorkers.”
Senator Pam Helming (R-54th District)
“Like every year, the Governor’s Executive Budget is the starting point for months of negotiation as legislators and the public review thousands of pages of funding and policy proposals. As we begin these discussions and negotiations, there is one crucial question I will be asking myself, my colleagues, and the Governor: does this budget provide meaningful relief for New Yorkers? Relief from the rising cost of taxes, utilities, housing, insurance, and healthcare to name only a few. Relief that will keep businesses, jobs, and our children and grandchildren in New York State. That is what I will be focused on during this budget cycle and what I will continue to fight for.”
Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning)
“The governor just proposed the largest budget in state history, coming in at more than a quarter-trillion dollars with a projected three-year budget gap of more than $27 billion. As usual, this budget seems to be filled with more misplaced priorities, out-of-control spending and debt. In fact, this is insulting to the millions of New Yorkers who have to make difficult decisions and cuts to their family budgets just to see the state continue to increase its own. The governor and Albany Democrats think taxpayer money belongs to them and continue to create undue financial stress on the hardworking taxpayers of this state because they fail to recognize it’s the people’s money.”
“I will continue to push for fiscal responsibility, public safety, lower taxes, less red tape, as well as oppose the costly green energy mandates and will prioritize a common-sense energy agenda that prioritizes affordability, reliability, feasibility, safety, fuel diversity and energy choice.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Republican candidate for Governor
“New York is one of the most unaffordable states in America because Kathy Hochul chooses migrants over hardworking families and seniors. People can’t afford rent, groceries, energy, or property taxes, and Hochul’s answer is to spend billions on migrants and stick everyone else with the bill. That’s why New York is unaffordable.”
“After four years, Hochul still has no affordability plan. Instead of pouring billions into migrant programs and giveaways, we’ll deliver real middle-class tax relief, lower the cost of living, and let New Yorkers keep more of their own money.”
Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats)
“Governor Hochul and Albany Democrats can’t stop spending. It has been out of control, irresponsible, and even shocking. Despite all the warning signs, Governor Hochul keeps feeding a ‘spend, spend, spend’ addiction that will never make New York more affordable. It will keep driving hard-working taxpayers and middle-class families out of the state. It will keep killing jobs and strangling local economies.”
O’Mara also noted that joint Senate-Assembly budget hearings are scheduled to begin next Tuesday.
Watch/Listen to the budget unveiling:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/YG3rI95TAdI
Read the full spending plan:
