Assemblyman Blankenbush responds to Governor Hochul's Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2026

ALBANY, NY- New York Governor Kathy Hochul has laid out her Fiscal Year, 2026 Executive State Budget, which she claims will help make New York more affordable and safer.

The budget, which rings-in at a $252 billion, an increase of 3.6 percent, will deliver more than $5 billion in tax cuts, credits and refunds to New York families, while making record investments in education and health care and keeping $21 billion in reserves.

“A budget is more than just numbers on a page – it tells the story of who we are, what we value, and what we’re fighting for. And let me be clear: your family is my fight,” Governor Hochul said.

“This year’s budget will put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets and make our streets and subways safer. Working together with my partners in the Legislature, we can get this done and make New York the best place in the country to raise a family.”

Image via the office of New York State Governor Kathy Hochul.

Review her proposed budget highlights here.

While the Governor touts that her proposed budget includes record investments to support New Yorkers, without raising income taxes, lawmakers who represent the North Country are sounding the alarm on overspending concerns.

"If we keep adding and adding to this, we are not going to control spending and we are not going to the necessity of lowering our debt," said North Country Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush.

"We have more and more people leaving the state of New York because of the high cost of living."

Listen to our latest on-air segment with the Assemblyman for more of his remarks:

Other North Country lawmakers have been chiming in as well.

"This $252 billion state budget proposal is bigger than the budgets of Florida and Texas combined - both states with larger populations than New York," claimed State Senator Mark Walczyk.

"She's proposed the second highest per-capita state spending plan in the nation. You cannot tax and spend your way into affordability and while there's plenty of valuable services our state provides residents, I will continue to push back on government waste and this reckless plan."

"Despite our state facing significant fiscal challenges, we have witnessed year after year of unsustainable spending under the leadership of the governor and legislative majorities," said State Senator Joe Griffo.

"This troubling trend of out-of-control spending will have significant consequences, especially as we face structural budget challenges and budget gaps in the coming years."

“Upstate New Yorkers are tired of hearing the same empty promises," said State Assemblyman Robert Smullen.

"They are tired of seeing flawed policy decisions made behind their backs. And they are tired of feeling the sting of out-of-touch ‘solutions’ to existing issues in the rural areas of the state enforced without any input from their communities."

Governor Hochul has reportedly prioritized maintaining the State’s reserves, which are currently at a record-high $21.1 billion for an unexpected downturn or “rainy day.”

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York continues to maintain an AA+ bond rating which reduces borrowing costs, her office claims.

Ken Blankenbush image.