State Senator Tom O’Mara sharply criticized the newly enacted 2025-2026 New York State budget on May 7, calling it “another late, bloated and unaffordable spending spree” under Governor Kathy Hochul and the Legislature’s Democrat majorities.
O’Mara, the Senate Finance Committee’s Ranking Member, emphasized that the budget was adopted over a month past deadline. He condemned the $260-billion plan for increasing spending by at least $15 billion over last year and for continuing what he described as a broken and reckless budget process.
“New York State taxpayers today and long into the future already face trying to afford, live, and work under a bloated, wasteful, and unaffordable state government,” O’Mara said. He argued that the budget worsens New York’s standing as “one of the highest taxed, heavily mandated, overregulated, and least affordable states in the nation.”
O’Mara noted that since Democrats assumed full control of the state government in 2018, spending has risen by more than $90 billion. He warned that the new fiscal plan offers no meaningful tax relief, mandate relief, debt relief, or solutions for key priorities such as health care, public safety, and transportation infrastructure.
“To afford it, Governor Hochul and the Democrat majorities in the Legislature will go on squeezing every penny they possibly can from state and local taxpayers,” O’Mara said. He accused state leaders of relying on higher taxes, more borrowing, raiding reserve funds, and fee increases to fund the budget’s expansion.
In addition to his fiscal criticisms, O’Mara denounced the state’s budget adoption process, calling it outdated and lacking transparency. He pointed to the use of “messages of necessity” to rush votes and argued that it deprives legislators and the public of adequate time to review the legislation.
“It’s time to bring this state’s budget adoption process into the modern day,” O’Mara said. “Fundamental checks and balances have effectively been thrown out in this state government.”
O’Mara warned that as long as one-party control persists, New York will continue to lead the nation in “irresponsible, irrational, misguided, and unsustainable spending” that burdens taxpayers and drives out businesses and families.
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