NY State Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) today issued the following statement concerning the enacted 2025-26 New York State Budget:
“For too many years and in too many areas, New York State has been trending downward. Our communities have become too costly for families and businesses, a spate of pro-criminal policies have made it less safe for law-abiding residents, sanctuary city policies have threatened federal aid and created chaos across all of New York.
“These problems can be traced back to one-party Democrat control of state government in 2019. Since then, we’ve seen out-of-control taxes and spending, and violent crime rise to disturbing new levels. This year’s budget was a chance to take actions to course correct and lay out a better way forward for New York State.
“At the start of the budget process, Governor Hochul stressed affordability. Instead, she and Democrat legislative leaders have opted to spend more than a quarter of a trillion dollars, with little to show for it when it comes to helping those who need it most. The much-ballyhooed inflation rebate checks are a mere pittance that fails to come close to covering the increased costs we’re all experiencing. And while touting these checks, the governor and Democrat leaders saw fit to add new taxes to prop up the failing MTA and New York City infrastructure. The only person to receive any substantive financial support is our attorney general, in the form of a $10 million gift to preemptively pay for legal fees concerning an investigation completely unrelated to state business.
“Public safety continues to go unaddressed. While the federal government has moved strongly to secure our borders, there have been no changes to the sanctuary city policies that have cost the state billions and led to increased crime. Rather than address HALT, prison violence and contraband, they opted for new language allowing for early release for violent and nonviolent incarcerates. On those issues, the governor and Democrats have opted for tepid changes to discovery and the wearing of face masks while committing a crime. This budget just continues the revolving-door policies that have been a hallmark of Democrat policies since the passage of bail and discovery reform.
“A budget is a blueprint for where a state’s priorities are. Once again, it’s clear that the governor and her allies are uninterested in prioritizing what New Yorkers have made clear they want addressed: affordability and public safety. This year’s enacted budget is a wildly expensive misfire that only exacerbates those issues.”