John,

I hope you’ve been having a relaxing and memorable holiday season with friends and family! Earlier this week, Bill and I celebrated Christmas in Albany with mass, gifts, and, of course, plenty of Christmas cookies.

Having raised two kids, I understand the hustle and bustle the holidays can bring, and the stresses that can come with it. This month, we built on our efforts to make our state more affordable and announced a new initiative to help make life easier for working families: New York State’s first-ever Inflation Refund.

Our proposed Inflation Refund would deliver up to $500 to millions of families in every corner of the state. If passed by the legislature, these checks would go directly to 8.6 million New Yorkers with no loopholes or extra paperwork – just real money to help pay the bills.

The Latest from the Empire State 

Enacting Nation-Leading Paid Prenatal Leave. Too many pregnant women are forced to choose between going to their prenatal appointments and earning a paycheck. That changes on January 1 when our first-in-the-nation paid prenatal leave program takes effect. I sat down with New York moms to discuss this transformative initiative. Learn more about Paid Prenatal leave at ny.gov/prenatal.


Creating 80,000 New Homes in New York City. Our only shot at solving New York’s affordability crisis is by building more housing — and that’s why we committed $1 billion to make New York City's "City of Yes" a reality. I joined New York City leaders at City Hall to celebrate this historic achievement that builds on the nation-leading pro-housing legislation we passed earlier this year.


Bringing the future of health care to New York State. We opened New York’s first-ever cell and gene therapy hub at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo. The $98 million facility will create new jobs, establish Roswell as one of the premier cell therapy discovery and development institutions in the nation, and save lives.

We also announced…

• The creation of the Climate Superfund to ensure polluters pay for their role in the climate change-driven extreme weather that has cost New Yorkers billions of dollars in damages.
• Record funding to protect nonprofit, community-based organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission.
• New actions to reduce the sky-high costs of EpiPens.
• A crack down on the predatory ‘black market’ for restaurant reservations
• The impact of this year's Toy and Coat drive -- 6,200 donations for New Yorkers in need!
• 14,000 low-income households will get $10 per month broadband service thanks to the first awards of our Affordable Housing Connectivity program
  

New York Moments

More money in your pockets. That's what our Inflation Refund proposal will deliver for millions of New Yorkers.

More housing in New York City. When New York City asks you to help get a landmark housing bill over the finish line, you say, "Yes!"

• As New York’s first mom governor, I understand what it’s like to juggle work and prenatal appointments. I’m proud that Paid Prenatal Leave will be the law of the land on January 1.
• I joined the Sandman himself, Mariano Rivera, to give holiday toys out to kids in the Bronx with SOMOS Care
• There’s “snow” business like keeping our roads and streets clear across New York State
• Public transit isn’t only about New York City. We announced major investments up the Hudson and beyond.
• As always: Go Bills

News to Know

• Governor Hochul proposes sending New Yorkers refund checks to ease inflation burdens (WHAM)
• New York takes steps to improve affordability for working families (WGRZ)
• City of KATH: Hochul saves the day on city housing agreement (Politico)
• Federal government to deploy drone detection system to New York, Gov. Hochul says (ABC 7)
• MTA to improve bus service along two dozen routes, Hochul says (Spectrum News - NY1)
• Hochul announces holiday traffic enforcement (Niagara Gazette)

I hope you have a fantastic New Year. As we look ahead to 2025, know that we’re going to keep fighting for you and your families every single day.

Ever Upward, 

Gov. Kathy Hochul 

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