Elected Officials Call on Governor Hochul to Tax the Rich, Fund Essential Services in New York State Budget

Senate and Assembly lawmakers stand with unions, advocates, and New Yorkers to demand action on the affordability crisis

Find photos here

ALBANY, NY — A broad coalition of legislators, advocates, and labor unions mobilized at the State Capitol on Monday, calling on Governor Hochul to keep all progressive revenue raisers in the final state budget and invest in an affordable New York. 

This diverse array of elected officials and organizations demanded a state budget that makes the richest individuals and corporations pay their fair share and invests in the essential services New Yorkers depend on. They stressed the importance of funding public goods through the stable, recurring revenue that taxes on the ultra-wealthy provide. And they urged the governor to protect New Yorkers from devastating SNAP, Medicaid, and Essential Plan cuts and commit to supporting and expanding the childcare workforce.

Speakers included Assemblymembers Manny De Los Santos, Jessica González-Rojas, Ron Kim, Grace Lee, Dana Levenberg, Marcela Mitaynes, Steve Raga, Phil Ramos, Linda Rosenthal, Jo Anne Simon, Sarahana Shrestha, and Phara Souffrant Forrest; and Senators José Serrano and Andrew Gounardes. They were backed by a coalition of advocacy organizations including Citizen Action of New York, Community Voices Heard, For the Many, Invest in Our New York, Make the Road New York, New York Communities for Change, NYC-DSA, NY Working Families Party, Our Time, PSC-CUNY, Strong Economy for All Coalition, Desis Moving Up and Rising (DRUM) and UAW Region 9A.

"This action shows there's a very broad consensus behind taxing wealthy individuals and corporations. Hochul's the odd one out, but she can fix that by passing a budget that taxes the rich and includes every cent raised in the legislature's one-house budgets,” said Arielle Swernoff, Co-Chair NYC-DSA Tax the Rich Campaign.

“New Yorkers and their elected representatives have spoken: They overwhelmingly favor making the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations pay what they owe in taxes in order to fund vital public programs and services, including SNAP, Medicaid, the Essential Plan and universal childcare,” said Brahvan Ranga, Campaign Manager of Invest in Our New York. “Governor Hochul must listen to her constituents and adopt every last cent of proposed progressive revenue in the final state budget. With thousands of families in danger of losing their food and healthcare assistance, the stakes are life and death.”

“Governor Hochul has to choose: Is she with Donald Trump, or 20 million New Yorkers?” said Divya Sundaram, Deputy Director of Our Time. “Right now, Trump is pushing cuts that threaten to strip nearly a million New Yorkers of healthcare and take food assistance away from hundreds of thousands of families, after handing the wealthiest Americans massive tax breaks just last year. Governor Hochul can allow these cuts to fall on working families, or she can stand up and fight back by taxing the rich for a New York we can actually afford. The people are clear about what we want. Now it is up to Governor Hochul to decide whether she will stand with the wealthiest few or the millions of working New Yorkers she was elected to serve.”

“It’s working families with young children like mine, not millionaires or billionaires, that are leaving our state because of the affordability crisis. We must tax the rich and corporations in this budget to raise the revenue New York needs to deliver universal childcare and restore funding to Medicaid, SNAP, and more. There’s 9 days left and a world to win,” said Assemblymember Diana Moreno.

"Healthcare is a human right. And yet politicians in Washington, D.C., are sacrificing the wellbeing of hardworking families, forcing them to choose between feeding their children or a doctor's visit, in order to fund their deportation machine. Luckily, our elected officials in New York can do something about it. By asking the ultra-wealthy to pay their fare share in taxes, we can mitigate the effects of federal healthcare cuts. We need to make sure that the nearly half a million New Yorkers slated to lose their coverage in a few months remain protected. But by investing in critical health services, we can ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the health insurance they deserve," said Arline Cruz, Director of Health Programs at Make the Road New York. 

“The Assembly and Senate leadership understand that taxing the rich makes it possible to invest in our communities. New Yorkers need universal childcare, affordable housing and healthcare they can rely on. Working families in New York do their part each day; now it is time for corporations and billionaires to pay their fair share. We encourage Governor Hochul to listen to voters and support these popular proposals to make New York a more affordable place for working families to live and thrive,” said Jasmine Gripper, State Director of the NY Working Families Party.

"Black and brown New Yorkers are carrying the heaviest burden of this affordability crisis: rising rents, unaffordable childcare, and now federal cuts threatening our healthcare and food assistance. Meanwhile, billionaires and corporations are rigging the tax code to hoard their wealth on the backs of our communities,” said Juanita Lewis, Executive Director of Community Voices Heard. “Governor Hochul has a choice: stand with working-class communities of color who built this state, or continue to protect the ultra-wealthy. The legislature has shown a way forward. It's time for the Governor to follow."

“New Yorkers are demanding long-term solutions to the affordability crisis and a state budget with progressive tax reforms to pay for those solutions. We want leaders who will prioritize universal childcare, free buses, full funding for Pre-K through college, and other critical public goods and services over tax breaks for corporations and the rich. The oligarchs pulling the strings in Washington just handed a $12 billion federal tax break to the millionaires in New York State. New York’s highest earners and wealthiest corporations can afford to pay their fair share so the rest of our state can prosper,” said Jen Gaboury, first vice president of the Professional Staff Congress, the union of CUNY faculty and staff.

”At a time when the richest are making unprecedented profits, while everyday people are struggling to make ends meets, and NYC is facing budget shortfalls, it is a clear choice of either making working and middle class suffer, or taxing the rich,” said Fahd Ahmad, Executive Director of DRUM-Desi Rising Up and Moving.

“New Yorkers are doing everything right, working hard, raising families, and supporting their communities, yet too many are still struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. That’s why I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues, advocates, and labor partners in calling for a fairer approach to this year’s state budget. This is about coming together to build a budget that truly reflects our shared values, one that supports working families, strengthens our neighborhoods, and creates a more affordable and equitable New York for all,” said Assemblymember George Alvarez.

State Senator Erik Bottcher said, “New Yorkers are demanding we deliver a budget that reflects their needs and priorities. That means making purposeful investments in affordable housing, mental health services, schools, and public safety. The Senate and Assembly have advanced a set of responsible, progressive revenue-raising proposals that would help ensure we can make those investments. I strongly support our proposals becoming law as we work toward a final budget that supports working families and strengthens our communities.”

“New York works best when everyone has a fair shot. Asking the wealthiest individuals and corporations to contribute a little more isn’t punishment, it’s how we make real investments in education and healthcare, support our public institutions, and deliver meaningful relief for working families,” said Assemblymember Robert Carroll.

Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “Every New Yorker deserves an affordable state–including affordable childcare, affordable healthcare, and affordable transit. I’m proud to join Invest In Our New York and community organizations to call for our one-house proposals to be included in the final budget this year and ensure equity is at the forefront of our discussions, especially for our New Yorkers most in need.”

“At a time when so many families are feeling the pressure of rising costs, New Yorkers are calling for a budget that reflects fairness and the realities they face every day. Working families are doing everything right, yet they are still struggling with rent, childcare, and groceries, while the wealthiest continue to benefit. We have the opportunity to change that,” said Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos. “The progressive revenue proposals in the Assembly and Senate one-house budgets would allow us to invest in what our communities truly need, affordable housing, quality childcare, education, and the services families rely on. This is about making sure our budget works for working people and building a stronger, more equitable future for all New Yorkers. I stand with advocates, labor, and my colleagues in calling on the Governor to adopt these proposals and deliver a budget that works for all New Yorkers.”

“If New York is going to work for working people like you and me, then our tax system has to stop rewarding hoarding and start investing in our future. That means making income taxes more progressive, raising corporate taxes on the most profitable companies in New York, implementing a real capital gains tax, and creating a heirs tax so that wealth finally pays its fair share. We can continue to be better: to fund schools, housing, healthcare, and infrastructure without squeezing everyday families from the essentials by taxing extreme wealth. It’s time to be clear, it’s time to be honest, and it’s time to say it out loud: Tax the rich,” said Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest.

“New Yorkers are being crushed by the rising cost-of-living while ultra-wealthy individuals and megacorporations only get richer. As we face dangerous budget gaps exacerbated by the Trump administration’s unjust budget cuts, we must raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers to fund essential services including universal childcare, healthcare, and nutrition support. I stand with workers and advocates calling to raise this revenue by ensuring the richest New Yorkers and corporations pay their fair share, so every New Yorker can thrive,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher.

"For too long, the 1% have gotten away with not paying their fair share of taxes. New York City is in a budget crisis, and to fund our families we must tax the rich. I urge my colleagues and the Governor to include revenue raisers like my corporate tax bill, allowing New York City to raise taxes on the wealthiest corporations in order to fund our city’s essential operations. I’m proud to work with IONY, WFP, the Tax the Rich campaign, and advocates to make sure we have a city and state that invests in all of us,” said Senator Kristen Gonzalez.

"This is about building the New York we all want and deserve—a state that's strong and safe and affordable for everyone," said Senator Andrew Gounardes. "I'm proud my proposals to increase taxes on the ultrawealthy and big corporations were included in the Senate budget proposal, but our fight's not over. These bills would generate billions to invest in the things everyday New Yorkers actually need, like childcare, healthcare and affordable housing. It's time to make the wealthy pay their fair share, and pass a budget that works for working New Yorkers."

“Working families cannot be asked to tighten their belts while the wealthiest among us continue to accumulate historic fortunes. At a time when federal cuts threaten the stability of our communities and the affordability crisis continues to strain household budgets, I stand with the advocates, workers, and community leaders in calling for the courage to align our tax code with our values. By ensuring that the ultra-wealthy and the most profitable corporations contribute their fair share, we can protect our communities, strengthen our public institutions, and keep opportunity alive for every New Yorker,” said Senator Robert Jackson.

"Working-class New Yorkers want a budget that puts people first and makes our state more affordable. That means investing in universal childcare and protecting healthcare and SNAP. It also means supporting our local communities and asking the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations to finally pay their fair share,” Assemblymember Anna Kelles said. “At a time of growing inequality and federal uncertainty, we cannot balance our budget on the backs of working families. We must stay strong on these critical investments and ensure the final budget reflects the legislature’s commitment to a more just and equitable New York.”

Assemblymember Ron Kim said, “I stand with my fellow elected officials and community leaders in sharing the belief that our state should work for all New Yorkers and not just the wealthy few. The Invest in Our New York campaign is about making equitable, responsible choices and adequately investing in our communities. It is time to fully fund our schools, expand affordable housing, strengthen healthcare, and support working families. Dedicating more resources toward the common good means a stronger future for everyone.”

“Too many working families are doing everything right and are still struggling with rising costs and lagging wages, while the wealthiest New Yorkers are only getting richer,” said Assemblymember Grace Lee. “We need to ensure that the ultra-wealthy and largest corporations pay their fair share so we can invest in a New York that all families can actually afford. It’s time we tax the rich.” 

"New York's top earners and corporations did not make it to the top alone. They rely daily on the contributions of working and middle class people who are finding it increasingly difficult to stay here because of the high cost of everything — childcare, housing, healthcare, and so much more,” said Assemblymember Dana Levenberg. “Fairness demands that we ask more from those who have benefited the most from living and doing business in New York, so that we can do more to support the working and middle class people who keep this state going." 

Senator John Liu said, “At a time when working families are struggling with ever-increasing prices exacerbated by constant fiscal uncertainty from the Trump White House, New York must step up and make sure the wealthiest among us pay their fair share. We have the ability to protect New York’s working families, immigrant communities and our environment while investing in our state’s future, but we must seize the moment. Many thanks to the Invest In Our New York campaign and all the advocates for keeping up the pressure and bringing these issues to the forefront of the conversation about how to create a more sustainable, affordable New York.

“Working-class New Yorkers are being pushed to the brink while the ultra-wealthy continue to get richer," said Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes. "We cannot balance this budget on the backs of families already struggling to afford rent, food, and healthcare. By taxing the richest individuals and most profitable corporations, we can protect essential programs like SNAP and Medicaid and invest in the childcare and services our communities need. I stand with my colleagues and advocates in urging Governor Hochul to include these progressive revenue measures in the final budget and deliver a New York that works for all of us.”

““New York is home to over 20% of the nation’s richest households. Yet, for most New Yorkers, the benefits of living in such an economically vital area are far from apparent,” said Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero. “It’s past time for New York to implement the same progressive taxation reforms that many other states have already proposed or implemented. These common-sense changes - asking only the top 5% richest New Yorkers to pay their fair share - would raise revenue to invest in our communities and social programs to improve quality of life for all New Yorkers. At a time when we are facing reckless spending cuts from the federal government to vital benefits that support some of the most vulnerable among us, New York has a responsibility to lead. I’m proud to stand in support of IONY and these critical bills.”

"The cost of rent, groceries, utilities and other necessities has only increased thanks to the reckless decisions of the Trump administration. With our state budget deadline quickly approaching, we have an obligation to include reforms that will make life a bit more affordable for everyday New Yorkers," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. "Our one-house budget proposals include policies to ensure the wealthiest people and corporations in our state pay their fair share and we must ensure those policies remain in our final budget. With this revenue, we can deliver universal childcare, affordable healthcare, continued SNAP benefits and other essential services that the Trump administration is working overtime to take away."

“New Yorkers are facing a real affordability crisis, and the solutions are right in front of us. The legislature has put forward responsible, progressive revenue proposals that ask the ultra‑wealthy and the most profitable corporations to contribute their fair share. By adopting these measures, we can protect essential services, prevent harmful cuts, and invest in the future our communities deserve — from universal childcare to healthcare access to stable local budgets. It’s time to stand with working families and deliver a budget that truly reflects New York’s values,” said Senator James Sanders Jr. 

“As the legislature works to finalize the state budget, we must ensure that our fiscal decisions reflect the needs of New Yorkers facing rising costs. The progressive revenue proposals would have the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations pay their fair share, allowing the state to strengthen essential services and continue investing in our communities,” said Senator Jose M. Serrano.

"The loss of funding from Washington has made it increasingly urgent for New York state to invest in areas such as education, health care, mental health, infrastructure, and clean energy,” said Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky. “By implementing modest tax increases on those benefitting the most from Trump tax cuts — the ultra-wealthy and most profitable corporations — we can ensure that everyone contributes their fair share toward the public good. This is the balance we need to achieve, if we are to have a state and a society where everyone can live in safety and thrive."

“"New York State must enact a final budget that builds a more affordable future for working families. Revenue is needed to breathe real life into our priorities – and we have outlined several effective revenue-raising measures. Asking those with extraordinary wealth to pay their fair share of taxes would allow us to deliver universal childcare, and protect healthcare and other critical services. I urge the Governor to include our revenue proposals in the final budget," said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

“New Yorkers are being squeezed by an affordability crisis while the wealthiest continue to pull further ahead,” said Assemblymember Tony Simone. “We have a clear path forward in this year’s budget: Ask New Yorkers who make over $5 million per year, and corporations with profits over $10 million to pay their fair share so we can protect essential services and invest in working families. I stand with my colleagues, labor, and advocates in calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to keep these progressive revenue measures in the final budget and deliver for working class New Yorkers.”

“Trump is looting programs working families depend on to fund tax cuts for his billionaire pals. I’m calling on Gov. Hochul to get serious about pushing back on Trump’s disastrous policies by raising taxes on the rich to protect our state's essential programs and services. Anything less is a sign off on Trump’s budget and a betrayal of working-class New Yorkers,” said Assemblymember Claire Valdez.

Senator Lea Webb said, “As federal cuts target our state and slash essential services our communities depend on, it is time to take action to keep critical services funded here in New York. We must ensure the wealthiest New Yorkers pay their fair share of the tax burden so that working families across New York have access to essential services like healthcare and childcare. I join my colleagues in calling for a final budget that includes revenue raisers to meet the needs facing our communities.” 

###