Governor Kathy Hochul rallied with community leaders and elected officials across Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse on March 25 to advocate for her state budget plan aimed at making New York more affordable and supporting working families. The Governor’s proposals include building more housing, lowering auto insurance costs, expanding access to child care, and addressing rising utility bills.
The focus of the agenda is to help residents manage high living expenses while ensuring economic opportunities for all. Hochul said her budget proposals are designed to strengthen New York for millions of working families. “I’ll never stop fighting for your family — and that means building more housing, lowering auto insurance rates, expanding access to child care, and taking action to address rising utility costs for working families across the state,” she said.
The proposed FY27 Budget builds on previous efforts such as last year’s inflation refund checks provided to over 8.2 million residents, an expanded child tax credit, lower middle-class taxes not seen in seventy years, and free school meals. This year’s plan aims to further reduce auto insurance premiums—currently averaging $4,000 per year in New York—and invest $4.5 billion into childcare initiatives including a pilot program with Monroe County targeting children ages zero through three.
Hochul also announced reforms intended to streamline housing development by modernizing the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), which would exempt certain projects from lengthy reviews if they meet environmental criteria. Additionally, changes are proposed for the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (CLCPA) so that climate goals can be met without imposing additional financial burdens on households or businesses struggling with high energy prices.
Local leaders voiced support during the rallies. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said he is proud of a budget that “delivers affordability for our residents” through investments like the Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative and childcare expansion pilots. Monroe County Legislature President Yversha Román called it a demonstration that “Rochester and Monroe County are a priority.” Syracuse Mayor Sharon F. Owens described it as “a forward-looking plan” balancing climate action with cost controls.
Community voices such as First Genesis Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Fredrick Johnson expressed gratitude: “This budget not only delivers for our families but provides a future that ensures affordability for all… Governor Hochul’s ‘Let them Build Agenda’ is empowering communities like ours.”
As discussions continue around these proposals in Albany, supporters hope they will bring long-term relief from rising costs while maintaining commitments on clean energy.