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Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her fifth State of the State address on Tuesday – outlining her agenda for 2026 “and beyond.”
She highlighted a statewide reduction in crime, expanded child care and critical infrastructure projects underway.
"From Babylon to Buffalo, New York is rising - so if you are betting on the future, you need to bet on New York...the state of the State of New York is strong," she said.
The governor spoke about congestion pricing, a target for the Trump administration, which has threatened the policy repeatedly.
"Mr. President, the message is still the same. We will not bow to a wannabe king and the congestion pricing is staying on," she said.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's reaction to Hochul's address:
On crime, Hochul said that the state made “unprecedented investments in police and public safety – over $3 billion” and “enacted the strongest gun laws in the nation.”
“Four years later, crime is hitting record lows. Shootings, homicides, subway crime – all down. We’ll never be satisfied,” she said.
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She also took aim at ghost guns obtained by 3D printers.
“I’m proposing the first in the nation law requiring all 3D printers sold in the state of New York to include software that blocks the printer from creating a gun. It’s just common sense,” she said.
Hochul said she is advancing legislation to establish buffer zones around houses of worships and health care facilities to protect people from harassment and obstruction.
On schools, Hochul lauded the cellphone ban in schools, calling it an “extraordinary” transformation in classrooms.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the presumptive Republican candidate that will likely face Gov. Hochul in November responded to the State of the State address during an interview with News 12.
He questioned if congestion pricing would end up making its way to Long Island.
"Here's just another tax on hardworking middle-class families making them pay for the privilege of driving on a road that their tax dollars paid for,” he said. “Where's she going to put congestion pricing next? On the [Long Island Expressway]?”
Blakeman also criticized a proposal by the governor that would give someone the ability to file a civil action against immigration officers who violate their rights.
Ryan Radulovacki, a Hochul campaign spokesperson, responded in a statement:
“What’s ‘unbelievable’ is the fact that Bruce Blakeman has said he’ll never disagree with Donald Trump even when he harms New York – and that he brags about his record of running Nassau University Medical Center into the ground, bringing violent crime in Nassau to ten-year highs, and raising costs on New York families. Governor Hochul is going to keep delivering on her promises: lowering costs, investing in public safety, and protecting our kids, ensuring Long Islanders and all New Yorkers have the future they deserve.”
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