State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez held her first State of the District Monday evening, speaking to around 100 constituents about her work in the district since taking office in 2023 and outline her priorities for the area over the next 12 months.
Gonzalez, who represents neighborhoods in Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn in Senate District 59, delivered her “Fighting for our Future” State of the District address at CUNY School of Law in Long Island City on Nov. 17.
Gonzalez outlined a number of priorities for the next year, vowing to fight for climate justice and resiliency in the district by focusing on the waterfront and flood-proof infrastructure.
She further vowed to fight for more funding for the four NYCHA developments in her district and touted the creation of a Western Queens Clergy Network to prepare communities for ICE raids over the next 12 months.
Gonzalez told constituents that she anticipates a marked increase in federal immigration raids throughout Queens in 2026 and described the network as a “foundational attempt” to organize and prepare for the year ahead.
She also called on her colleagues in Albany to pass the New York for All Act in 2026, which would limit New York State law enforcement agencies from collaborating with ICE. She also called on her colleagues to pass several other pieces of legislation tied to immigration, including the MELT Act, which would prevent federal immigration officers from wearing masks during enforcement operations.
Gonzalez said there is currently a “target” on New York, adding that she is “incredibly concerned” about potential raids on Queens communities over the next 12 months.
She said her office would continue providing know your rights events so that local residents are informed of their legal rights in the event of an ICE raid. Her office would also be conducting an increased level of rapid response
Gonzalez further called on the state legislature to build infrastructure that would create 15 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, which she said would help New York State reach its target of generating 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of the decade.
“We need to be majority renewable energy by 2030,” Gonzalez said. “So that’s a big issue for next year.”
Referencing the recent federal government shutdown, which threatened SNAP benefits across the state and the nation, Gonzalez spoke of the need to pass the SNAP Protection Act next year, which would authorize the reissuance of SNAP benefits to victims of theft or fraud.
She also called for $200 million in funding for Bellevue Hospital to support the expansion of mental health emergency services at the largest hospital in the city in addition to advocating for the New York Health Act, which would create single-payer healthcare system for all New Yorkers with the goal of establishing universal healthcare.
Gonzalez outlined a range of new taxes on the wealthiest residents in New York State to help fund the wide range of initiatives, including raising New York’s corporate tax rate to 9% to match that of New Jersey’s, which she said would generate an additional $7 billion in annual income. The addition of 10 new personal income brackets to make wealthy residents pay a “progressively fairer rate” would generate an additional $20.4 billion per year, Gonzalez said, while a surcharge on capital gains of over $500,000 per year would generate a further $12 billion.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has stated that she opposes higher income taxes for wealthy New Yorkers but is reportedly considering a corporate tax increase to combat a potential budget shortfall amid federal funding cuts, according to widespread reports.
Gonzalez said Monday that those reports serve as evidence that Hochul is “feeling the pressure” to increase taxes on the wealthiest residents in the state. Hochul was drowned out by chants of “tax the rich” when she gave an address at a Get Out the Vote rally for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at Forest Hills Stadium last month.
“If we can increase corporate taxes, I don’t see why we can’t increase taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers who have seen a massive gain of wealth since the Trump administration retook office,” Gonzalez said in an interview with QNS on Monday. “I think there is an opportunity to work together.”
Gonzalez also pointed to a number of legislative victories during Monday’s event, including $8 million in funding for local community organizations and 49 bills introduced in 2025.
One bill, which passed the Senate but not the House in 2025, would direct the New York Power Authority to explore the possibility of closing peaker plant generating facilities in Brentwood and Astoria to help combat energy usage in the district and reduce toxins in the local atmosphere.
Gonzalez, who hosted a town hall on the impact of federal budget cuts last month, took several questions at the end of Monday’s event and spoke of the importance of hosting public-facing events in the district. She intends to hold a town hall-style event for NYCHA residents in the district early next year.
“It’s important for elected officials to be out in the neighborhood and in the district,” Gonzalez said.
