New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to spend $2 billion of her recently enacted budget on one-time inflation refund checks is facing pushback from within her own party, with some Albany Democrats calling the plan a political stunt ahead of next year's governor's race.
"New Yorkers know a gimmick when they see one," state Sen. James Skoufis, a Hudson Valley Democrat, said, according to The New York Times.
The checks, which will go out to approximately eight million New York households, will reportedly range from $150 to $400. Individual filers making less than $150,000 will qualify for $150 or $200 checks, while married joint filers who earn up to $300,000 will qualify for $300 or $400 payments. The limits were calculated using adjusted gross income from 2023.
"We're going to give it back directly — no red tape, no hoops to jump through, just giving you that check," Hochul pledged while speaking at an event this week.
According to the governor, higher prices caused by inflation led to higher-than-expected sales tax revenue, making the checks possible. When she first proposed the payments late last year, Hochul wanted to cap the amounts at $500 for joint filers and $300 for individual filers.
The Legislature ultimately decided on smaller amounts for the checks.
The Times reported that Skoufis introduced a bill earlier this week that seeks to prohibit Hochul from putting her name, signature, or image on the checks, as President Donald Trump did with the 2020 stimulus checks that were distributed to millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"No governor should have the opportunity for this kind of self-promotion," Skoufis said.
Avi Small, Hochul's press secretary, told the Times that the final design of the checks was still being worked out, but said they were not a "gimmick," as Skoufis had suggested.
"The governor's signature won't be on the checks, so the senator's time would be better spent on the issues that actually matter to his constituents," he said.
Although the plan has drawn derision from some Democrats in the Empire State, the party overall recognized its importance to Hochul, who is facing potential challengers from both sides of the aisle when she launches her reelection bid for the 2026 race. According to public polling, even as voters largely support much of Hochul's policy agenda, they continue to have a lackluster opinion of the governor herself.
In a statement, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat, expressed support for the initiative.
"These checks will put money back into the pockets of New Yorkers, allowing them to save or spend in a way that makes sense for them," Heastie said.
With Hochul's budget relying on tens of billions in federal aid and the Trump administration promising expansive cuts, some New York lawmakers say the governor made a bad policy move in an increasingly anxious political climate.
"We are ignoring the massive elephant in the room — pun intended — with every statement out of the White House threatening tens of billions of dollars that flow to this state," state Sen. Pat Fahy, a Democrat representing Albany, said, according to the Times. "So we do need to be prudent."
The New York Department of Taxation and Finance is reportedly able to mail out around one million checks per week, with the payments expected to begin arriving in October.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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