Governor Kathy Hochul gave her third State of the State message to the legislature earlier this week, with highlights that included improving swimming programs and reading programs, providing paid leave for prenatal care, broadening consumer protections to eliminate insurance co-payments for insulin, and setting up a public-private partnership for artificial intelligence research.
The address on Tuesday was preceded a week earlier by the first day of the legislative session, which included opening remarks from the leaders of each house. The messages from these legislative leaders were more serious in nature. The speeches on Wednesday included fighting antisemitism, racism and bigotry; battling the Fentanyl and drug abuse crisis; solving an affordable housing crisis, and improving the environment and education.
Typically, Democrats were espousing spending more and Republicans were highlighting cutting taxes to make living in New York more affordable.
“Since 2019, hundreds of companies have closed their doors and moved to more business-friendly states. Places that are not overwhelming their businesses and citizens with excessive taxes, fees and regulations. It’s time for New York to change course,” said Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay (R – Pulaski, Oswego County). “We must allow New Yorkers to keep more of their hard-earned money to help mitigate against persistent inflation New York families have faced over the last three years.
Barclay continued to lay out the GOP platform.
“We must establish real consequences for rampant antisemitism and divisive behavior taking place on New York’s college campuses. We must make necessary fixes to raise the level of public safety and close glaring loopholes in the criminal justice system. We must make fixes to raise the level of public safety and close glaring loopholes in the criminal justice system. We will address the fentanyl and overdose crisis that continues to take too many lives in our community, and expand the availability and visibility of vocational job training in our schools. We need ethics oversight, transparency and accountability to government operations as well as put common-sense programs in place to build on efforts to make child care more affordable and more accessible,” Barclay concluded.
The Democratic majority in the Assembly focused on semiconductor manufacturing, housing and education.
“On our path to making New York more affordable, we need to ensure that housing is in reach for all. It is not an understatement to say that housing, or more importantly, the lack of affordable housing, is one of the biggest issues facing this state. Every community in this state is feeling the effects of our housing crisis and it is up to us to enact those solutions,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D – Bronx). “All stakeholders must come to the table and have a serious discussion about how we can work together to solve New York’s affordable housing crisis. We must build more affordable housing across the state but at the same time, we must protect those in our existing housing stock. We cannot afford not to act.”
Education, women’s health care, improving the environment, and asylum were other topics highlighted in Heastie’s remarks.
“I truly believe education is the great equalizer, and these programs require adequate funding to assure that students have access to a world-class education that can be afforded. I do not think it’s an understatement to say that we are on the precipice of a climate catastrophe. Importantly, New York will make an investment to ensure clean air and water, build climate-friendly homes, protect wildlife and create innovative green jobs along the way. Health-care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor,” Heastie continued.
“We need to provide long-term solutions for the new influx of asylum seekers as their ability to pursue a future in our great state or anywhere in this nation lies in the hands of the federal government. I know President Biden and the Senate are seeking solutions and it is long past time that the House joins them to alleviate this crisis.”
Then there was an attempt for a kumbaya moment.
“Here in New York,” Heastie concluded, “we understand bipartisanship sits at the heart of good government. Our two parties may disagree on details but we both understand the importance of putting New York’s families first.”
Over in the upper house, Senate leaders focused on similar issues with one exception – Israel and antisemitism.
“We wear blue in solidarity with Israel and for our Jewish and Israeli neighbors here in New York and in America, as they withstand the evil that was unleashed upon them on October 7,” said Senator Andrew Lanza (R – Great Kills, Staten Island), Deputy Republican Leader filling in for Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt who did not attend the opening day of the legislative session due to illness.
“The same evil that crept into the Garden of Eden thousands of years ago, which has gone by many names – Fascism, racism, and today, names like Hezbollah and Hamas. Whatever form it takes and whatever name it goes by, we stand united in opposition and we stand in solidarity with our friends in Israel.”
Lanza then brought his remarks back to modern-day legislative priorities.
“We have an antisemitism task force. We need and we must make a priority in the new year, legislation and policy that will, once and for all, end the blight of hate and antisemitism in the state. It’s a new year, a new beginning and some might even call it a clean slate. The difficulties with new beginnings and clean slates are that while you can erase the words from the blackboard, you must still deal with the consequences of the policies and the words that were written there before. Unfortunately, here in New York, New Yorkers are doing just that,” Lanza said. “We see crime at historic levels and remember, with every crime there is a victim.”
Lanza then ticked off a plethora of legislative priorities the Democratic majority also supports. The main difference during the next several months will be the means to the end.
“We see the fentanyl crisis not getting better but getting worse as we watch thousands of New Yorkers every year losing their life to this terrible blight. We see the price of everything out of control. Hundreds of dollars do not come close to filling the cart at the grocery store anymore. People can’t afford to make ends meet in New York. There are a lot of reasons but they are being gouged most by the government itself. The government, which is here, allegedly, to help. Taxes are off the charts in this state. If you are a working family in New York, you pay more taxes than anywhere else in America, and people do not believe they are getting anywhere close to value for the taxes they pay,” Lanza said. “We have a migrant crisis in New York. The governor rolls out the welcome mat. She says come to this state from anywhere in the world and we’re going to give you free stuff. She then acts surprised when people take her up on the offer. In my neighborhood on Staten Island, the governor and her party evicted so many for good cause eviction, evicted seniors and veterans, from a home, and then opened that home up to migrants.
We have a new beginning but the only good thing about a new beginning is that we use it to solve problems. All is not lost. The spirit of New York is still alive; it’s weary, it’s beaten down but I truly believe it is yearning to rise again. It is deprived of the oxygen it needs. But just as we believe in the policies of this state, which has deprived it of that oxygen, we believe new policies can reverse that course and make things better. It’s more fun to talk about disagreements. More important is to talk about them because that’s where the action is. That’s where we’re going to hammer out and decide the future of this state.”
Speaking for the Democratic majority in the Senate, Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D – Yonkers, Westchester County), spoke about Israel as if it were a side show.
“The terrible, terrible situation in Israel and this war with Hamas, I know each and every one of us are praying as we continue to do for peace and for an opportunity to create an environment that allows for each of us to not deal with the hatreds and the -isms,” Stewart-Cousins told the members who filled the upper chamber.
“Part of why we don’t deal with international things in this conference is because we could spend a lot of time talking about the ills of the international community. Personally, and I think collectively, we are better off spending our time presenting an example right here in this great state and in this chamber, that hopefully will be a model for not only the people we represent.”
The economy of the state, housing, and education were highlights for Stewart-Cousins in her message.
“We made it clear that public safety and justice are not mutually exclusive. We will continue to make that very important point. Our conference has always looked to ease daily burdens and to strengthen our fundamental support systems. However, despite these accomplishments, we must acknowledge that many New Yorkers are still struggling and they feel the pinch in their wallets,” Stewart-Cousins said. “The most significant cost burden facing our constituents today is housing. The soaring cost of living in New York threatens the very essence of our state’s identity. It is time for us to develop a comprehensive plan that not only protects tenants including the principles of good cause but also paves the way for the construction of new affordable housing. While every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live, we also believe the location of your home should not dictate the quality of your child’s education. We must continue to fully fund our schools.”
The Democratic leader then shifted to higher education without mentioning the scourge of antisemitism reaching new heights on college campuses.
“Meanwhile, we need to keep higher education within reach of people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s imperative that we continue investing in our public colleges and universities because an advanced degree shouldn’t have to be a financial burden but rather a stepping stone towards a brighter future for all,” Stewart-Cousins stressed.
“Central to our state’s future is a commitment to fighting climate change and promoting energy affordability so that our necessary green transition will not be at the expense of working-class households and small businesses. For too long too many of the big utility companies have wasted ratepayer dollars by bill practices and exploitative rate increases. It’s time to keep that money where it belongs in people’s pockets by holding these corporations accountable.”
Stewart-Cousins then showed her bond with public and private labor unions.
“In partnership with our brothers and sisters in labor who have been and will continue to be a key part of these solutions, their tireless efforts have been the bedrock of our state’s progress and prosperity. We will remain staunch advocates for fair wages, safe working conditions and workers’ rights. Due to this ongoing partnership, New York will meet its climate goals while generating the economic growth and prosperity that our working-class families deserve.”
As Heastie emphasized, Stewart-Cousins also spoke about the refugee crisis caused by asylum seekers being bused to New York from Texas.
“We face a refugee crisis that is not of our making but one that we will continue to have to confront. We have provided over $2 billion in state aid to deal with asylum seekers but we cannot do this alone. New York has always been a place where we welcome our neighbors and help them find jobs and prosperity. However, we need help from our federal partners to make sure the American Dream remains alive,” Stewart-Cousins said.
Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado, who presides over the Senate as one of his two constitutional duties, spoke philosophically about unenforceable obligations.
“These obligations are beyond the reach of the laws of society. They concern inner attitudes. Genuine person-to-person relations and expressions of compassion that law books cannot regulate in jails cannot rectify,” Delgado, a former congressman, said.
“Such obligations are met by one’s commitment to an inner law written on the heart. Manmade laws assure justice but a higher law produces love. These are powerful words that resonate particularly so, given the divisive, violent and hate-filled times we are living through. As leaders, it is incumbent upon all of us to set an example and to lead with the light of love and the spirit of unity. We serve because we are inspired in one way or the other by love of G-d, love of humanity, love of country, love of state, love of community, love of family, love of freedom, love of equality, love of truth, love of justice and love of democracy. Let us commit ourselves to that unenforceable law written on each of our hearts.”
Even with all this love Delgado spoke about, the gloves come off between the Senate and Assembly and between Democrats and Republicans, once the session begins in earnest later this month.
