Hinchey and Tague react to governor’s State of the State address

ALBANY―Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her 2026 State of the State address on Tuesday, outlining more than 200 initiatives that she says will make life more affordable, keep New Yorkers safe, and expand opportunity.

Highlights of the governor’s proposal include plans to provide universal childcare, lower energy bills and auto insurance rates, improve mental health services, address the housing crisis and confront overall rising costs, she says.

“I fight every day to make life more affordable, keep people safe, and expand opportunity—not shrink it. My 2026 State of the State lays outa clear, actionable plan to meet the challenges families face today, while preparing New York for the road ahead,” Hochul said in her roughly 50-minutespeech at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

Hochul also unveiled new proposals to “protect New Yorkers from reckless attacks from the federal government,” including authorizing New York residents to bring state-level civil actions against federal officers for alleged constitutional rights violations.

The annual January address, a fifth for Hochul who is seeking reelection in November, is a wish list of priorities that ultimately must gain approval from the state Legislature. Details on how the initiatives will be funded are expected when the governor proposes her executive budget next week.

Locally, both Assemblyman Chris Tague (R-Schoharie) and Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-Saugerties) responded to Hochul’s plans.

“The devil is in the details, and we’ll be reviewing the governor’s full budget when it's released next week, but a few topline proposals stand out for the Hudson Valley,” Hinchey said.

“Getting the state to true universal childcare is an exciting and vital proposal, but as the details stand right now for communities outside New York City, there is a lot more that needs to be done in order to make that a reality. We will be fighting through negotiations to make this work for upstate and to help solve the childcare crisis in a truly universal way,” Hinchey added.

“I’m thrilled to see that the Governor included my bill―the Vaccine Integrity Act―which will lead the state’s public health discourse with science instead of conspiracy. And for years, we’ve been advocating for expanded investment in industrial hemp manufacturing as a tool for economic development and a way to support our farming community. The governor’s commitment to creating a consortium dedicated to hemp advancement is incredibly exciting and one that will pay dividends across the state while moving us closer towards a sustainable future,” the senator continued.

Skyrocketing utility costs, Hinchey noted, “have been front and center across the Hudson Valley.”

“There are still things left on the table, like our bill requiring the [Public Service Commission] to use affordability for ratepayers as a determining factor in every rate case, and we’ll be advocating for the inclusion of that and more over the next few months,” she said.

“We’ve also seen the terror inflicted on our communities and across the country by rogue ICE agents at the behest of the Trump administration. New York must stand up to protect our residents and ensure our state is a safe place for all people who call it home,” the senator added.

“I look forward to digging into the rest of the proposals spanning AI protections, expanded educational opportunities, emergency management support, increased water infrastructure funding, agriculture investments, and many others to ensure we have a budget that supports and strengthens all of our New York communities,” Hinchey said.

Tague, however, called Hochul the “worst governor in America with the worst State of the State―absolutely awful.”

“Hochul’s address once again missed the mark for upstate New York. Hardworking families, farmers, and small businesses deserve real solutions to lower costs and rein in reckless spending,” Tague said.

According to Tague, Hochul’s address was “more of the same: policies disconnected from the realities of hardworking families and farmers in my district.”

“We need real action to make life affordable through tax cuts, reduced spending and support of our vital agricultural industry, not more empty promises and caving to radical, out-of-touch downstate voices that ignore our needs and drive up costs for everyone,” Tague said.

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