NY Gov. Hochul Announces FY26 Budget Investments for Middle-Class Families

Governor Hochul's Personal Connection to Family Struggles

• 💡 Governor Hochul shared personal anecdotes about her early life as a young mom, including struggling to find childcare, her husband leaving the private sector for government work, and meticulously cutting coupons to save money.
• 🎯 She emphasized that her own family's past struggles, including her parents living in a trailer park, fuel her commitment to fighting for all New Yorkers.
• 📌 The core message, "Your family is my fight," underscores her dedication to ensuring families have the resources to succeed and achieve the American dream.

Addressing Economic Anxiety and Inflation

• ⚠️ Hochul highlighted the current economic anxiety, noting that even those not in finance are worried about their 401ks and the shrinking economy.
• 📈 She criticized the shrinking economy as unprecedented and a potential cliff for those already on the margins, stressing the need for financial help.
• 🏛️ The governor contrasted the current situation with a past where government was seen as a force for good, not weaponized against citizens, citing examples of federal workers losing jobs and Social Security offices closing.

Key Budget Investments and Affordability Agenda

• 💰 The FY26 budget includes a sweeping affordability agenda aimed at putting more money back into the pockets of New Yorkers.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A significant investment is the $5,000 for families struggling and a $1,000 child tax credit for children under four, with $500 for older children.
• 🍎 The budget also expands universal free school meals for children, aiming to eliminate the stigma associated with subsidized lunches.
• 💸 An inflation rebate of up to $400 per family is included, returning excess state sales tax revenue to the people who paid it.

Impact on Child Poverty and Families

• 📉 Richard Bury highlighted that New York ranks 40th in child poverty and that this budget represents a choice to combat it, with an estimated 8% reduction due to the child tax credit expansion.
• 🤝 Kate Brelin emphasized the budget's significant expansion of the Empire State Child tax credit, making it fully refundable and benefiting over 2.5 million children.
• 🧩 The investments in the child tax credit, free school meals, and child care assistance are designed to save families money, improve access to healthy meals, and support parents' ability to work.

Personal Testimonials and Gratitude

• ✅ Tasa Brown, a program director and mother of three, shared how the child tax credit felt like a "birthday gift" and provided much-needed financial relief.
• 🙏 She expressed gratitude to Governor Hochul for advocating for working families and making them feel valued.
• 🌟 Richard Bury and Kate Brelin both praised Governor Hochul's leadership and commitment to children and families, calling it brave and morally clear political leadership.