by Contributor | January 6, 2022 6:00 am
ALBANY, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday, January 5, delivered her 2022 State of the State Address, outlining her plan for a New Era for New York.
Governor Hochul outlined nine key components of her agenda: rebuilding our healthcare economy, protecting public safety and addressing gun violence, investing in New York’s people, investing in New York’s communities, making New York’s housing system more affordable, equitable, and stable, making New York a national leader in climate action and green jobs, rebuilding New York’s teacher workforce and reimagining higher education, advancing New York’s place as a national equity model, and making critical reforms to restore New Yorkers’ faith in their government.
“As the first woman to present a State of the State address in New York, I want to make it clear I am not just here to make history – I am here to make a difference,” Governor Hochul said.”The time has come for a new American Dream. Today, we start building a better, fairer, more inclusive version that I call the New York Dream. We will create a New Era for New York by embarking on a bold, far-reaching policy agenda that advances our recovery and restores New Yorkers’ trust in government. And through all of this, I will continue to collaborate with others and deliver results for New Yorkers.”
Governor Hochul’s A New Era for New York Agenda is comprised of nine components each geared toward carrying New York State to a brighter future.
Rebuild Our Healthcare Economy to Provide Care for More New Yorkers
$10 Billion Plan to Rebuild and Grow the Healthcare Workforce by 20 Percent[1]
Over the next five years, Governor Hochul’s plan will rebuild and grow the healthcare workforce by 20 percent. $10 billion will be invested in the state’s healthcare sector, including more than $4 billion to support wages and bonuses for healthcare workers. Additionally, this plan will improve the career pipeline, expand access to healthcare training and education, recruit care workers to underserved areas, and strengthen home care.
Protect Public Safety and Take Strong Action Against Gun Violence
Three-Part Agenda to Prevent and Reduce Gun Violence and Violent Crime Throughout New York State[2]
This public safety initiative will provide state and local law enforcement with tools necessary to keep New Yorkers safe from gun violence. The Governor’s plan will invest in public safety and fund state and local policing gun safety efforts, create the Interstate Gun Tracing Consortium, and triple investment in community-based gun violence response.
Invest in New York’s People
Tax Relief Efforts for Thousands of Small Businesses and Millions of Middle-Class New Yorkers[3]
Governor Hochul’s plan will accelerate the phase-in of $1.2 billion in middle class tax cuts for 6 million New Yorkers by two years – to 2023 – and establish a $1 billion property tax rebate program to put money back into the pockets of more than 2 million New Yorkers who have had to endure rising costs as the pandemic has progressed. The Governor will also deliver a tax rebate for 2 million New York families and increase existing tax credits and create new ones to support food production. Governor Hochul’s efforts will also bring about $100 million in tax relief for 195,000 small businesses across New York State.
Strengthen New York’s Workforce and Help Grow the Economy[4]
Governor Hochul’s seven-pronged initiative will overhaul workforce development to focus on regional needs, expand access to new careers and career services, and recruit the next generation of New York’s labor force. As part of this plan, the Governor will create the Office of Workforce and Economic Development, help New Yorkers move between education and careers, expand access to apprenticeships, recruit the next generation of public servants, expand the state’s technology talent pipeline, make New York a model for the employment of workers with disabilities, and protect and strengthen worker’s rights.
‘Jails to Jobs,’ A New Initiative to Improve Re-Entry into the Workforce and Reduce Recidivism[5]
Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals are often left to their own devices upon reentrance into society. With the ‘Jails to Jobs’ program, these individuals will be connected with education, resources, and opportunities for job placement, which will improve public safety and reduce recidivism.
Invest in New York’s Communities
Moving Forward with Major New Expansion of Transit Service in Brooklyn and Queens: The Interborough Express[6]
The Interborough Express is a historic project that would use the existing right of way of the Long Island Rail Road owned Bay Ridge Bridge to connect transit deserts in Brooklyn and Queens. This line would connect commuters to as many as 17 subway lines, expanding access to jobs and other destinations. Governor Hochul’s plan is to move forward with the expansion by directing the Metropolitan Transit Authority to begin the environmental review process.
Billion Dollar Rescue Plan for Small Businesses and to Strengthen New York’s Economic Recovery[7]
After the hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Hochul’s billion dollar rescue plan will invest in the growth and retention of small businesses of the future, small business tax credits for businesses that took on COVID-related expenses, seed funding to establish new businesses, provide flexible grants to early-stage small businesses, expand small business lending, and help small businesses secure contracts. The Governor also plans to propose legislation to permanently allow the sale of to-go drinks in bars and restaurants.
$1 Billion ‘ConnectALL’ Initiative to Bring Affordable Broadband to More Than 1 Million New Yorkers[8]
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how inaccessible and unreliable broadband connection was for many New Yorkers, who suddenly were forced to live their lives through the internet. It is essential that all New Yorkers have equitable access to the internet, as marginalized communities are most affected by this lack of broadband access. The $1 billion ConnectALL initiative will deliver affordable broadband to millions of New Yorkers and transform the state’s digital infrastructure through new investments.
Make New York’s Housing System More Affordable, Equitable, and Stable
Major Statewide Initiative to End the Homelessness Crisis and Address Longstanding Inequities in Housing[9]
Our housing system is riddled with systemic inequalities that need to be addressed. Governor Houchul’s housing plan will tackle these and use public funding to expand opportunity for all. Initiatives to expand housing include utilizing Safe Options Support (SOS) teams of trained mental health practitioners that will assist in transitioning individuals living on the street into stable housing, ending the 421-a tax abatement and establishing a new, more effective program, improving housing access for renters with criminal records or negative credit history, creating an eviction prevention legal assistance program, and creating a permanent disaster recovery and resiliency unit for home rebuilding.
Address Housing Affordability Crisis in New York State [10]
The Governor will implement a comprehensive 5-year housing plan, a $25 billion effort to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 homes with support services for vulnerable populations. To increase access and affordability in New York’s housing market, Governor Hochul will also take major steps to construct new housing and increase density in appropriate urban areas. These steps include permitting accessory dwelling units in single-family neighborhoods, kick-starting transit-oriented development, giving New York City the authority to encourage densification, and easing restrictions on converting hotels and offices to housing.
Make New York a National Leader in Climate Action and Green Jobs
Achieving 2 Million Climate-Friendly Homes by 2030[11]
Buildings account for more than a third of New York’s climate pollution. Governor Hochul’s plan to achieve a minimum of 1 million electrified homes and up to 1 million electrification-ready homes is anchored by a series of legislative and policy actions. These include requiring zero on-site greenhouse gas emissions for new construction no later than 2027, providing the training programs necessary to ensure that the state has a skilled workforce to deliver these services, establishing a dedicated green electrification fund and electrifying low-income homes through the housing capital plan, among others.
Nation-Leading $500 Million Investment in Offshore Wind[12]
Governor Hochul announced plans to invest in offshore wind infrastructure, procure enough wind energy to power at least 1.5 million homes, initiate planning for an offshore wind transmission network, and launch the offshore wind Master Plan 2.0 Deep Water. This will ensure that the state has the strongest offshore wind energy market along the Eastern Seaboard. The Governor’s plan for offshore wind will support more than 6,800 jobs, a combined economic impact of $12.1 billion statewide, and more than 4.3 gigawatts of energy, enough to power nearly 3 million homes in New York.
Rebuild New York’s School System and Reimagine Higher Education
Invest in New York’s Students, Teachers and Schools[13]
To rebuild New York’s teacher workforce, Governor Hochul plans to emphasize recruiting and retaining teachers throughout the state. The Governor will also take action to accelerate the teacher certification process and increase funding for K-12 education. This plan also includes providing incentives to attract teachers and school workers, providing learning and mental health grants, creating a state teacher residency program, and upskilling teacher support workers to earn their certifications.
Increase Access to Childcare for 100,000 Families and Invest $75 Million in Wages for Childcare Workers
Affordable childcare is essential to give children the best possible chance at success while providing parents the ability to participate in the workforce. While Governor Hochul believes that the federal government must pass Build Back Better to expand childcare coverage for New York families, if they do not she will propose an expansion of access to childcare. This would impact 100,000 families across New York by increasing eligibility from 200 percent of the federal poverty line to 225 percent. The Governor’s plan also includes a $75 million in better pay for childcare workers.
Revitalizing SUNY and Secure Its Place as a Globally Recognized Higher Education Institution[14]
Governor Hochul’s plan to revitalize the State University of New York System is wide ranging and extensive. The plan includes making the institution a global leader on research and innovation, ensuring SUNY serves students well, and prioritizing equality within the SUNY system. This transformation will set students on a path to economic success and focus on equity so that all may thrive with a SUNY education.
Advance New York’s Place as a National Equity Model
Equity Agenda to Promote Anti-Hate, Racial Equity, and Justice for All New Yorkers [15]
The Equity Agenda will advance a wide-ranging plan to promote and support gender equity, racial equity, anti-hate, social justice, the LGBTQIA+ community, immigrants and new arrivals, and veterans with the goal of protecting the health, safety, economic opportunities, and fundamental dignity of every New Yorker—in short, to make the New York Dream into a reality.
Make Critical Reforms to Restore New Yorker’s Faith in Their Government
Propose Constitutional Amendment to Limit All Statewide Elected Officials to Two Terms and Ban Outside Income[16]
By introducing a constitutional amendment, Governor Hochul plans to limit the roles of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller to two consecutive terms. The Governor will also propose legislation to impose a ban on earned outside income for the same statewide elected officials, with an exception for academic positions that must receive ethics board approval.
Replacing JCOPE with a New Independent Ethics Agency[17]
To restore the people’s trust in their government, Governor Hochul plans to introduce legislation to repeal and replace the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) with an ethics entity that is truly independent and transparent. This entity will be subject to Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests and the Open Meeting Laws, increasing and improving transparency. This plan will also ban outside communications so that members of the entity will be prohibited from participating in ex-parte communications regarding any potential or ongoing investigation.
Local official statements on the address –
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay: “Gov. Hochul’s State of the State Address presented her vision for the coming year, but little for New Yorkers to get excited about. This was a safe speech that hit popular notes. Unfortunately, clear solutions to current problems were few and far between.
Inflation has been climbing for months. But the governor completely failed to acknowledge immediate action is needed to address a cost-of-living crisis that we haven’t seen in decades. Crime is going to continue to plague New York communities until Democrats reverse course on the pro-criminal platform that’s defined their party in recent years. Our state’s oppressive tax burden drives businesses and families away in record numbers because, year after year, New Yorkers have been forced to pick up the tab for the out-of-control spending habits of liberal politicians.
I applaud the governor’s stated commitment to government reform. Term limits for statewide offices and an overhaul of the state’s toothless ethics oversight panel are measures that can improve operations of state government. But we’ve been here before. Assembly Republicans first introduced legislation to end JCOPE eight years ago. Democrats opted to place their heads in the sand for nearly a decade.
This year, it’s critical that we move past the distractions and scandals of 2021 and prepare for New York’s full recovery. Mandates and executive orders aren’t going to achieve that. We finally need to get COVID under control, keep our children in school, ensure our businesses stay open and facilitate economic growth with responsible budgeting.”
State Senator Patty Ritchie: “As 2022 begins, New York State continues to face very serious challenges. In recent years, a devastating combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and one-party rule has resulted in economic suffering, a severe decline in public safety and people fleeing our state in unprecedented numbers for better opportunities elsewhere.
In today’s “State of the State” address, Governor Hochul laid out her plans for addressing these issues. She highlighted the need for prioritizing initiatives to provide tax relief, speed up economic growth, create good-paying jobs and secure public safety—all of which are areas I believe our state government should be laser focused on in the months to come.
As the pandemic continues, these efforts to help our state rebound are more critical than ever. I look forward to learning more about the Governor’s proposals, including her plans to form a commission of regional leaders and economic development experts tasked with developing a plan for re-purposing the state’s shuttered prisons. I am hopeful this group can examine other abandoned state facilities as well, namely the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center.
One of the most pressing issues our state faces is public safety. In her remarks, the Governor talked about New Yorkers who say they no longer feel safe here and discussed the need to address the uptick in crime. Unfortunately though, the Governor ignored the elephant in the room—and that’s the fact that radical bail reform laws that put the rights of criminals over the safety of law-abiding New Yorkers are to blame for the increased crime we are seeing.
If New York State wants to truly remain the “Empire State,” we need to make real, meaningful changes that get it back on track. We need to reverse reforms that are making people less safe. We need to make it easier for businesses to succeed, instead of crushing them with ever-changing mandates and red tape. In addition, we need to create a more affordable state that puts hardworking New Yorkers first.
As the 2022 Legislative Session gets underway, I look forward to examining the details of the Governor’s proposals and working hard alongside my partners in state government to overcome the tremendous challenges we face today, and will face in the future.”
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/governor-hochul-addresses-plan-for-new-era-in-2022-state-of-the-state/
Copyright ©2026 Oswego County Today unless otherwise noted.