“Gov. Hochul addressed some important priorities in her State of the State address but the invoice for her programs may be more than New Yorkers can afford. Federal relief programs that assisted us in the last budget cycle have expired and we should focus on the safety and security of our citizens.

“The governor wants to make New York ‘more affordable, more livable, safer’ for people across the state. Changes to the failed bail reform law and rebuilding our mental health system are a good start, but her plan to address changes during the budget process is not the right path. The budget should be a fiscal plan, not a document filled with policy items.

“I look forward to further review of the nearly 150 policy proposals the governor has promised in her document. It is time that state leaders put the concerns of New Yorkers at the forefront when discussing the direction of the state.”