“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 Majority lawmakers 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 Minority members first introduced legislation to end JCOPE eight years ago. Majority members 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.”