Hochul critics warn NY can’t afford ‘State of the State’ affordability promises — including universal childcare

Can Kath afford affordability?

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s play-it-safe “State of the State” speech on Tuesday could be the prelude to yet another record-high budget for New York as critics from across the political spectrum cast doubt on her promise of “affordability” without raising taxes.

Hochul will unveil her proposed state budget on Jan. 20 amid lingering questions over how she’ll pay for her plan, especially with $4.5 billion promised for the first wave of her promised universal childcare.

Progressives, led by socialist Big Apple Mayor Zohran Mamdani, argued after Hochul’s speech that soaking the rich is the only way to keep the ambitious childcare plan funded.

And conservative critics such as Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the likely GOP nominee in this year’s gubernatorial election, warned that Hochul’s promises risk bursting the state’s swollen budget balloon.

“Unless she makes serious changes in her spending and unless she has serious programs that will create economic development, lower taxes, lower regulation so businesses can do business, I think we’re heading for very, very cloudy and dark times with respect to our budget in New York State,” Blakeman said during a Wednesday event in Albany.

The state’s budget has inched up 23% since Hochul took office in 2021, hitting a record-breaking $254 billion last fiscal year.

Watchdogs have cautioned that the Empire State faces massive potential federal funding cuts from President Trump’s adversarial administration, in addition to a budget gap that’ll reach $12.6 billion by the 2029 fiscal year.

Fiscal fears have only risen since Hochul allied herself with Mamdani, whose promises of universal childcare and free buses hinge on $10 billion — largely from the state.

Hochul has been happy to hitch herself to Mamdani’s popular bandwagon, but without committing to his progressive supporters’ cries to “tax the rich” as a way to pay for a list of proposed handouts.

Andrew Rein, the president of the Citizens Budget Commission, praised Hochul for holding the line on not raising taxes in order to keep New York competitive. But he warned she faces a tricky balance in the next budget.

“The massive structural budget gap and growing federal cuts makes the road ahead rocky,” he said in a statement. “The State should choose forward-looking actions so it does not self-inflict a fiscal reckoning requiring future cuts to services New Yorkers need.”

The agenda outlined by Hochul is also drawing fire from some lefties who felt the governor didn’t go far enough.

Hochul’s estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is running to her left in the Democratic primary, railed that New Yorkers are clamoring for a longtime liberal wish list of policies, including single-payer healthcare and banning ICE.

He also argued that Hochul’s childcare plan is “incomplete and unfunded” without raising taxes on the rich or corporations.

“Right now the plan doesn’t even have funding outside of two years,” he said Monday before embarking on a “State of the People” listening tour.

“It’s $1.7 billion in the first year. I think the annual cost of a real child care plan for the state would be about $12 to $15 billion per year. You’ve got to, first of all, sit down and think about where the money is going to come from.”

Despite the governor’s alliance with Mamdani, other progressives hinted that they’d be happy to tell Hochul to take a hike if she doesn’t tax the rich to fund childcare and fight federal cuts to health insurance and SNAP food benefits.

“Governor Hochul has a choice: tax the rich, or let our neighbors go hungry. Tax the rich, or let hospitals close. Tax the rich, or let New York’s children get sicker,” the liberal group Invest In Our New York railed in a statement.

“Governor Hochul, tax the rich, or get out of the way.”