John, 

Last week I unveiled our state budget — a bold agenda that makes the smart, responsible investments we need to make New York more affordable, more livable, and safer.

Right now, the New York Dream is out of reach for too many who call our great state home.

With this budget, we will begin to change that. We're making historic investments in the areas that will make a major difference in the lives of New Yorkers and help make the New York Dream a reality:

✅ $1 billion to overhaul our mental health care system to make sure all New Yorkers can access the care they deserve

✅ Funding for the New York Housing Compact — a groundbreaking strategy to build 800,000 new homes over the next decade and address the statewide housing shortage

✅ $337 million to tackle the gun violence epidemic and get illegal guns of our streets

✅ $5.5 billion to support energy affordability, reduce emissions, and protect our air and water

✅ Increasing our investments in child care to $7.6 billion over four years, supporting our children, families, and providers

✅ $1 billion to support hospitals and other health care facilities, plus investments to help 7.8 million New Yorkers on Medicaid access preventative and primary health care

✅ $1.3 billion in economic development investments and create the jobs of the future

✅ A historic $24 billion in education to get our kids back on track and prepare the next generation of New Yorkers for success

✅ $9.1 billion for transformation investments to deliver New Yorkers the safe, reliable, and affordable public transit systems they deserve

Representative Shirley Chisholm has been an inspiration for me since I was a young attorney on Capitol Hill, and I am once again reminded of her words:

“You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines... You make progress by implementing ideas.”

This is a pivotal moment for our state, and we will rightfully be judged today, and in generations to come, on whether we meet this moment and deliver real progress for our state and for our people.

My promise to New Yorkers is that we won't just stand on the sidelines — and by working together, we will help everyone achieve the New York Dream. 

Ever Upward, 

Gov. Kathy Hochul