Gov. Kathy Hochul pushed a budget meant to limit liabilities for her fellow Democrats this year. | Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy HochulALBANY, New York — Crafting New York’s $237 billion state budget this year came with a purpose for Gov. Kathy Hochul: Don’t hurt House Democrats in a pivotal election year.
“This budget shows she’s firmly stepping into that role and understands the connection between those two functions.” The state is home to five battleground House races this year, enough to determine which party controls the chamber in January. Some state lawmakers in the Assembly were skeptical of a push to address retail theft. | Hans Pennink/AP
Hochul, who took office in 2021 after the resignation of Andrew Cuomo, has had her missteps in past budget negotiations that created liabilities for Democrats.