STATEN ISLAND, NY – Ahead of her upcoming 2025 State of the State address on January 14, Gov. Kathy Hochul is touting several initiatives to deal with the price of living crisis in New York City and across the state.

“It’s a new year in New York, and this year means new money in your pockets,” the governor said Friday. “Today we stand together to continue the fight for your families that I began when I first became governor three years ago. Our fight is for your families, but also to make New York more affordable for all of our hard-working families.”

The governor is proposing New York State's first inflation refund checks, which might deliver about $3 billion in direct payments to about 8.6 million New York taxpayers this yr.

The income limits are so high that many hard-working Staten Islanders are likely eligible for refunds. Single taxpayers earning as much as $150,000 per yr would receive $300 and joint taxpayers earning as much as $300,000 per yr would gain $500 under the governor's affordability agenda.

“Middle-class families who have worked hard all their lives are just feeling the pressure, and it’s not their own fault,” Hochul said. “They weren’t asking for inflation to drive everything up.”

The governor noted that starting this month, the minimum wage for staff was raised statewide, expectant moms were the primary within the country to receive paid maternity leave, and there was a ban on insulin co-pays for state-regulated insurance policy.

The inflation rebate plan could be funded by the $3 billion in excess sales tax revenue resulting from rising costs of food and other essentials because the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You know about the $500, right?” said the governor. “You've all heard about our novel plan to put $500 back into the pockets of families of people making more than $300,000 or less. We meet a lot of people with this.

“Because in our opinion, money should never have been taken out of your pocket. That’s because inflation has made you pay more for everything you’ve bought over the past three years.”

The governor must work with the state legislature to achieve support for her proposed budget.

According to the state Department of Labor, New York's minimum wage increased last Wednesday to $16.50 an hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County and to $15.50 an hour in all other parts of the state.

There shall be one other 50 cent increase on January 1, 2026, bringing the minimum wage to $17 or $16, depending on where you’re employed within the state. Future increases shall be tied to inflation.

“So here’s the deal: If inflation goes up, your wages go up,” Hochul said. “Think about it. You don't have to go back to the collective bargaining table, you don't have to go back to your employer. Your wages will automatically increase if inflation rises.”

New York is the primary state within the country to require pregnant women to have paid break day for prenatal care and pregnancy-related medical care. Pregnant staff in New York are entitled to a further 20 hours of paid sick leave for pregnancy-related medical appointments along with their existing sick pay.

“Starting this week,” Hochul said Friday, “tens of thousands of New Yorkers, from home health aides to hourly restaurant workers and countless others who have no salary to count on, will no longer have to do the impossible.” They have the selection between losing their pay and receiving prenatal take care of their babies.”

Eliminating insulin copays typically saves diabetics about $1,200, the governor said.

“If you need insulin to survive — I guarantee you, we all have a family member who understands what it's about — you shouldn't have to break your budget to get treatment,” the governor said.

The State of the State address is scheduled for January 14 at 1 p.m. within the Hart Theater at The Egg, Empire State Plaza in Albany.

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Originally published: January 4, 2025 at 4:56 pm PST

Friday marks the fourth consecutive day of heatwave conditions in New York City.

Due to the sweltering temperatures, people could have to search out other ways to chill off at 34 degrees before temperatures drop barely again after the weekend.