NEWS & INFO

Governor Kathy Hochul is encouraging New York families to take advantage of the state’s newly expanded child tax credit as the 2026 tax filing season officially begins. The refundable benefit, known as the Empire State Child Credit (ESCC), can be used to reduce a taxpayer’s bill or be paid out directly as a refund. “The Empire State Child Credit delivers a vital financial boost to New York families,” Hochul said. “Now, after the largest expansion of the credit in New York his

Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing a significant reshaping of Niagara Falls State Park with plans to bring Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park under the same umbrella in an effort to spread tourism beyond the Falls. The idea, she said, is to encourage visitors to stay longer in the region. The proposal, outlined in Hochul’s State of the State booklet released Tuesday, comes as state data continues to show a stark imbalance in where tourists spend their time. Niag

Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed legislation advocates said was designed to preserve public and media access to police radio communications. Critics say the move undermines transparency and shields law enforcement activity from scrutiny. The bill, approved earlier this year by both the New York State Assembly and Senate, was crafted in response to a growing trend among police departments to fully encrypt their radio traffic. Legislators backing the measure said it was intended to

The discovery of wooden “timeout” boxes inside two elementary schools in the Salmon River Central School District has prompted an intense statewide backlash, culminating in a call for immediate intervention from Governor Kathy Hochul. After photos of the enclosed wooden structures circulated on Facebook last week, the governor urged the state Education Department to move quickly, saying, “swift action to investigate and rectify this situation” was necessary. Hochul described

Face coverings are making a comeback in parts of New York, particularly across the Hudson Valley region, as a rise in respiratory illnesses are pushing hospitals and care facilities to tighten health precautions. While the sight of masks in public spaces has brought back memories of the 2020 pandemic, current changes are more limited. Most mask use remains voluntary, but some health-care settings and private workplaces have begun requiring face coverings for individuals who a

A new Siena College poll released Tuesday claims Governor Kathy Hochul holds a 20-point advantage over Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in a potential 2026 matchup, placing Hochul at 52–32% among roughly 800 likely voters. The numbers show Hochul’s favorability has dropped five points since September. The poll has prompted renewed criticism from Republicans who argue Siena’s surveys consistently lean toward Democrats and fail to capture right-leaning voter enthusiasm. The critiqu

Rep. Elise Stefanik is blasting Governor Kathy Hochul after word got out that she plans to shut down additional state correctional facilities, including Bare Hill Correctional Facility and parts of Collins Correctional Facility. The announcement comes as Hochul works to raise money for her reelection effort, weeks before the holiday season, and shortly after hitching her wagon to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Stefanik said she and other lawmakers have already been cont

New York’s financial condition continues to deteriorate as more residents exit the state, taking their spending power and taxable income with them. According to a new Unleash Prosperity report, NYS has lost $517.5 billion in resident income between 2013 and 2022. New Jersey saw $170.1 billion vanish in the same timeframe, but New York’s losses far exceed every other state. Things have only gotten worse since then under Governor Hochul. The study, which analyzes IRS and Census

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is facing renewed political pressure after her former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, was charged with secretly operating as an agent of the Chinese government while serving in senior roles under both Hochul and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, are now at the center of a federal case where prosecutors say both operated to aid the Communist Party of China. According to federal filings, Sun is accused of using her acc

New York’s move toward an all-electric future has been abruptly put on hold after Governor Kathy Hochul agreed to delay the rollout of the state’s landmark building-electrification mandate. The reversal undermines her own climate promises on legislation she supported. The law, passed in 2023 and billed as a cornerstone of the state’s emissions-reduction strategy, was supposed to take effect January 1st. It would have required most newly constructed residential buildings under

New York’s already-strained business environment may become even more hostile as Governor Kathy Hochul is now considering raising corporate taxes to deal with a looming budget gap, according to a person familiar with internal discussions. The possibility has alarmed business owners and fiscal analysts who argue that a tax increase would accelerate the ongoing exodus of employers fleeing the state’s high-cost economy. The governor’s office has not announced any formal plan, bu

Governor Kathy Hochul is facing mounting backlash after her administration approved a long-delayed natural gas pipeline through New York Harbor — a project that had been rejected multiple times in previous years over environmental concerns. More than 200 demonstrators gathered outside Hochul’s New York City office on Tuesday to protest the decision, condemning the state’s approval of the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline. The project, spearheaded by energy companie

New York Governor Kathy Hochul could be heading for a bruising re-election battle in 2026 as a new statewide poll shows her Republican challenger, Rep. Elise Stefanik, within striking distance in what has long been considered a safely Democratic state. According to a recent survey conducted by J.L. Partners, Stefanik holds a commanding lead among likely Republican primary voters and is statistically tied with Hochul in a general election matchup. The poll found that 74% of GO

A new analysis has delivered troubling news for New Yorkers hoping to enjoy their retirement years without financial stress. The Empire State ranks among the worst places in the nation to retire. According to a recent report by Retirement Living, New York came in 49th overall, making it the second-worst state in America for retirees. The study evaluated all 50 states using a 100-point scoring system based on three major categories: quality of life (60 points), affordability (

Governor Kathy Hochul continues to plead financial hardship for New York even as newly released state fiscal reports show another massive surge in tax collections — nearly $3 billion above what her own budget office projected for the first half of the fiscal year. The unexpected boost pushes expected revenue to about $259 billion, which means NYS will take in $2.6 billion more than Hochul initially claimed she had to work with. Despite the influx, Hochul’s administration insi

Governor Kathy Hochul’s political missteps continue to snowball, this time igniting fury within her own party after she endorsed self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. It's a move that even fellow Democrats have privately called disastrous. Representative Elise Stefanik, who has long branded Hochul as “the worst governor in America,” said Democrats across the state are now privately expressing regret for backing the embattled governor and are eager t

Governor Kathy Hochul is under fire for what critics call a “performative” response following the detention of two SUNY Upstate Medical University employees by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The two men, both Cuban nationals legally authorized to live and work in the United States, were taken into custody Wednesday at ICE’s Mattydale office during what was reportedly a routine immigration hearing. The incident has sparked outrage among union officials and imm

Environmental advocates are sharply criticizing Governor Kathy Hochul’s response after a judge found that New York is in violation of its signature climate law and ordered the state to issue regulations to cut emissions. In the ruling, a state court determined the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) requires the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue rules by February 6, 2026, after acknowledging it has missed its deadline. When as

Hochul’s Domestic Violence Training Mandate for Police Fails to Quiet Critics on Law Enforcement Record Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that starting January 1st, 2026, all police recruits in New York will be required to complete a new 16-hour “Domestic Incident Response” curriculum designed to emphasize survivor-centered, culturally responsive and trauma-informed policing. Under the program, recruits will receive: (1) Lethality assessment training to help officers

Rep. Elise Stefanik has pulled ahead of Governor Kathy Hochul in New York’s gubernatorial contest, according to new polling released Tuesday by the Manhattan Institute. The survey found Stefanik with 43 percent support compared to Hochul’s 42 percent. While the margin is within the poll’s error range, the numbers give the Republican congresswoman a slight lead over the incumbent governor. Nine percent of respondents said they would back another candidate while 7 percent remai