Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2025 State of the State address has drawn mixed reactions from lawmakers and advocacy groups, with Republicans and Democrats alike weighing in on the priorities she outlined for the coming year.
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay expressed cautious optimism but criticized the state’s current trajectory. “It was encouraging to hear a number of Assembly Republicans’ proposals referenced in Gov. Hochul’s address—inflation relief, public safety, and child care accessibility,” he said. However, Barclay warned, “The reality is, for six years, one-party rule has created a more expensive and dangerous New York… We need real, permanent solutions.” He also questioned the feasibility of Hochul’s affordability agenda without curbing state spending.
MORE: Speed cameras proposed in highway construction zones
NYSUT President Melinda Person praised Hochul’s focus on affordability and education. “Gov. Hochul’s address today was a welcome declaration that she is focused on making New York more affordable for working families,” she said. Person highlighted shared goals, including universal school meals, expanded mental health resources, and tuition-free pathways for high-demand careers. “Together, we will fight for policies that make New York a better place to live, work, and raise our children.”
ALSO: Here are the 10 biggest proposals in Hochul’s 2025 proposed state budget
Senator Tom O’Mara criticized the address as lacking in substance. “The governor can’t promise permanent, long-term tax relief at the same time she’s looking to continue spending taxpayer dollars… Sooner or later, the well runs dry,” he said, warning that Hochul’s proposed policies could exacerbate economic struggles for upstate communities. O’Mara vowed to focus on reversing population losses and addressing tax burdens.
Senator Jeremy Cooney, a Democrat representing Rochester, praised the address as aligned with his priorities. “My number one priority is increasing the quality of life for New Yorkers,” he said, lauding Hochul’s support for universal school meals, child tax credits, and affordable housing initiatives. Cooney also noted shared goals like expanding Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and enhancing transit infrastructure.
RELATED: Hochul aims to limit smartphones in school through state policy
Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan, however, dismissed Hochul’s proposals as insufficient. “Year after year, we see Gov. Hochul attempt to address New Yorkers’ concerns… Yet year after year, New Yorkers are subjected to the same half-truths and hollow promises,” he said, urging “concrete, common-sense solutions” to address issues like affordability and public safety.
Senator Pam Helming echoed similar sentiments, calling the address “stagecraft” and saying, “New Yorkers don’t need a theatrical production; they need real solutions to their problems.”
Governor Hochul is set to unveil her proposed state budget next week, which will likely shed more light on the feasibility of her ambitious agenda.
RELATED: Hochul makes position on universal free meals public at state of the state
Watch the State of the State Address
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].