Albany, N.Y. - Governor Kathy Hochul making history again today, being the first woman Governor of NY to give a State of the State address
Hochul called for term limits, an overhaul of SUNY and a major healthcare workforce investment in her state of the state address today.
Hochul touched on many things in her history making speech.
She's also proposing that statewide elected officials will be limited to two terms and wants a ban on outside income for them. Hochul wants to make SUNY the nation's best state run higher education system by recruiting world class faculty and investing more in research facilities.
Hochul is proposing a one-billion-dollar middle class property tax rebate that will impact about 2 million homeowners.
She also plans to send money to small businesses struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic.
To help farmers deal with a shortage of labor and rising costs, Hochul proposed doubling the farm workforce retention and tax credit.
She also said the state would spend $4 billion to support higher wages and bonuses for health care workers, a group of workers stretched thin during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hochul vowed to bring back take-out alcohol sales at restaurants, saying "Cheers NY!".
Governor Hochul lamented the loss of population in New York State, noting that more than 300,000 people fled the Empire State, more than any other state.
She said, "The days of governors disregarding the rightful role of the Legislature are over. The days of the governor of New York and Mayor of New York City wasting time on petty rivalries are over.", an obvious jab at former Governor Andrew Cuomo.