Gov. Kathy Hochul laid out her policy agenda for 2025 during her State of the State address on Tuesday, Jan. 14, focusing on affordability, public safety, mental health, the environment, housing, transportation, and health care.
She emphasized that cost-of-living issues will be the cornerstone of her plan and noted that her agenda is not influenced by election results.
Key proposals include tax cuts for five of New York’s nine tax brackets, which her administration estimates will impact 77% of taxpayers. Hochul also highlighted plans to expand Crime Analysis Centers to enhance data sharing across agencies and create a New York State Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters. To address rising concerns about crime on public transportation, Hochul pledged to work with New York City to ensure a police presence on every overnight subway for the next six months.
While the governor’s plans were ambitious, they sparked mixed reactions from Queens lawmakers. Assembly Member Claire Valdez, newly elected to represent neighborhoods including Ridgewood, Sunnyside, Long Island City, Maspeth, and Woodside, criticized Hochul’s proposals for falling short on affordability and public safety.
“Communities that are safe and affordable result from investment in what working families need to thrive: housing, healthcare, education, and a future free from climate disaster,” Valdez said. “After today’s State of the State address, it’s unfortunately clear that Gov. Hochul’s policy vision for New York falls far short of offering real solutions for either affordability or public safety.”
Valdez stressed the importance of prioritizing housing as a human right, expanding public renewable energy initiatives, improving public transit, and investing in social services, including universal childcare and healthcare. She also expressed opposition to Hochul’s support for a stronger police presence in the subway system, calling it an “ineffective” approach.
Meanwhile, Senator Joseph Addabbo, who represents central and southern Queens, expressed cautious optimism about Hochul’s proposals but raised concerns about funding.
“In my experiences working with initiatives proposed by mayors and governors, I’ve always asked how they will pay for such proposals, and Governor Hochul’s proposed initiatives in her 2025 State of the State are no exception,” Addabbo said.
Addabbo, Chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, suggested leveraging new revenue sources to finance some of Hochul’s proposals. He commended her focus on family-centered priorities like safety, affordability, and education but voiced disappointment over the lack of attention to health care improvements and her support for congestion pricing and the City of Yes zoning initiative.
“I look forward to working with Governor Hochul and my colleagues in government to create a more resilient, safer, and affordable state as we move forward in the new year,” Addabbo said.
Adrienne Adams, Speaker of the City Council, was also encouraged by Hochul’s address, especially her plans to provide free school meals, her work towards universal child care, and making community college free for working-age students entering high-demand fields.
Adams, who represents the Queens neighborhoods of Jamaica, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village, and South Ozone Park, believes that Hochul’s proposals are important and can support working families, expand access to affordable homeownership, and advance educational opportunities for New Yorkers.
“To truly confront New York’s generational affordability crisis, we must continue to build on our holistic approach that advances housing solutions, affordable childcare, and opportunity for everyone who calls our city home,” Adams added. “New York City requires strong support from the state, and I look forward to our continued partnership with Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and all our state partners to meet our shared goals for New York.”
As Hochul’s 2025 agenda takes shape, it will face further scrutiny from lawmakers across the state, who will debate how to address New York’s most pressing issues while balancing fiscal responsibility.
