MONTICELLO — New York State Budget Director and Monticello native Blake Washington focused on affordability and public safety as he presented “Governor Hochul's 2025 State of the State.” Washington's speech last Wednesday, which was held at Resorts World Casino and drew 60 people, was a comprehensive synopsis of Hochuls's plan for 2025.

 The Director's remarks offered an economic perspective on the issues facing the residents of New York State, and specifically, Sullivan County. Throughout his address, Washington made several references to his own upbringing in Monticello and also the economic struggles that he has encountered raising a family.

A central tenet to Washington's speech was the allocation of budget funds designed to lighten the financial burden on New York families. 

“It's very, very difficult for ordinary New Yorkers to afford everyday expenses, so this entire budget is premised upon providing for greater affordability…but also providing for public safety because living in the state of New York and having a piece of earth that feels good and feels safe when you go home at night, when your children go home at night, is paramount.” 

I have highlighted the benefits of a $5 billion Affordability Package that includes a $2.7 billion middle-class tax cut affecting 8.3 million New Yorkers, and inflation refund checks of $300 for individuals and $500 for families. He has praised Hochul's 2023 accomplishment of extending the child tax credit to children under four; In 2025, her budget triples the benefit of the tax credit, increasing it from $333 to $1,000. 

“Raising a kid is really expensive,” Washington said before sharing a personal story about struggling to afford clothes and food for his growing daughter. 

Washington said the proposal provides universal school meals and that every public school district in Sullivan County is eligible for free school breakfast and lunch. This was an initiative started under Governor Hochul that benefits the food security of children as they are learning, frees up some time for parents in the morning as they get their kids ready for the school day, and saves families up to $1,600 per child every year.

While acknowledging inherent challenges in combating homelessness, Washington maintained that “Sullivan County is doing really well with housing,” citing that 530 housing units were completed in 2024; this is the largest number recorded in the County since 2007. He reiterated that affordable housing was a foundation of Hochul's priorities for her tenure as Governor. 

Hochul's administration believes it is urgently necessary to invest in public safety to combat gun violence. Early in the morning on February 12, Washington said two people were shot right outside the Governor's Mansion in Albany, and that Hochul is acutely aware of the dangers facing our communities. 

The new budget allocates 370 million dollars targeting youth programs that prepare young adults for meaningful employment after graduation, in addition to violence interrupter programs in partnership with law enforcement “that are working really well.” The administration is expanding the state police “because they are the essential element to public safety in every corner of the state,” and is also providing a new round of funding that protects communities against hate crimes. 

The focus on New York families continued as Washington commended the Governor's administration for distributing $300 million in aid for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Program (helping low-income families buy groceries during the summer) in 2024, increasing K-12 school funding by $6 billion in the last three years [totaling eight billion by the end of 2025] and providing for pre-natal leave. 

“These are things that make it easier for you to raise a family in the State of New York, and we're going to continue to do that.” This year's budget also has a birth allowance called the “Baby Benefit” which helps new moms afford costs in their child's first year.

Washington said the bulk of 2025's $252 billion budget is in two places: the health care program (Medicaid specifically) and aid to the 673 public school districts in the state. These two areas, health care and schools, account for 60 percent of the increases in the Governor's budget. The Department of Health Medicaid program will cost $35 billion, which Washington said was large but essential because one-half of New York residents benefit from publicly sponsored health coverage. Washington said school aid is at the highest level in state history, and that aid to schools in Sullivan County have increased by nearly 30 percent since Governor Hochul has taken office in 2021.

As he introduced Hochul's Unplug and Play initiative, which steers kids away from social media and offers healthy play alternatives in their own backyards, Washington reminisced about growing up in Sullivan County and “how wonderful it was for us to live in Sleepy Hollow and enjoy the woods.” These experiences were invaluable to Washington as he was growing up and he worries that kids today are insular because they are hooked on cellular devices. For that reason this year's budget will provide municipalities with funds to build playgrounds, swimming pools and offer swim lessons.

In addition to bolstering families and public safety, Hochul's budget includes funding for infrastructure, environmentally green projects like geothermal units on college campuses, continuing education, agriculture, academic credit for volunteers enrolled in public safety programs, the Gold Star veterans program and Fire Grants, two of which were awarded last year to the Fire Departments of Youngsville and Jeffersonville. 

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