The Issue: Gov.Hochul unveiling a $252 billion state budget for 2025 earlier this week.Perhaps Gov.
Hochul hasn’t noticed, but the public is extremely unhappy with her congestion pricing “gift” to New Yorkers — and she now presents us with her new budget bomb that does nothing to lower our current taxes (“$252B NY Budget Bust,” Jan.22).The governor’s budget sits on shaky ground, based on unreliable income sources she hopes will refill NY’s coffers.
Her “sweet deals,” which will eventually be passed to taxpayers, and taxing health-care providers will inevitably drive up costs for consumers.No matter how Hochul slices it, this budget bomb will become a boondoggle that New Yorkers will end up paying for eventually.Just business as usual in New York.J.M.
NorrisHempsteadI can’t help feeling that Gov.Hochul is right up there with the most ineffective leaders.
Her handling of congestion pricing — with her politically motivated back-and-forth — and appeasing us by scaling down the fee, was one great big sham.Her increase of patrol officers in the subways similarly feels like the showcasing of a sham.And now her budget is anything but affordable.
The state will burn through taxpayer money like wildfire.Tony GiamettaOceansideHochul’s worries seem to be misplaced (“470,100 Empire workers ‘illegal,’ ” Jan.22).Reducing illegal immigrants in the state would likely help improve housing availability, something Hochul claims to want.
Moreover, fewer immigrants might reduce costs by billions each year for both the city and state.Given Hochul is talking about a $252 billion state budget — more per capita than even California, and almost twice that of Florida — maybe it is time to figure out where to cut costs and not worry about subsidizing people who most likely don’t qualify for asylum.Brian Brooks QueensGov.Hochul unveiled her $252 billion budget, and a lot of it consists of handouts.
This is her version of the Oprah effect, where ...