Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces Measures To Protect New Yorkers' Access To Social Security And Medicaid

10 hours ago

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) spoke about the Trump Administration's cuts and the impacts on New York residents.

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Transcript

00:00Thank you, Governor.

00:02Thank you, Jeremy.

00:03Let's give a round of applause for Jeremy.

00:05Isn't he a great leader?

00:06Encore all the volunteers who are here as well.

00:09Everybody in the kitchen, thank you very much, everybody.

00:12People are raving about the food.

00:14I haven't had lunch yet, if you want to take care of me.

00:17And also, I'm joined by one of my favorite council members in all the boroughs,

00:22a great friend of mine, Eric Botcher.

00:24Let's give him a round of applause as well.

00:26I just wanted to take a minute to drop by and say hello to all of you.

00:34It's been such a pleasure to get to know you and talk to you about issues that are important.

00:39But I know there's a lot of anxiety and stress out there right now.

00:43Everything has gotten so expensive, right?

00:47Yeah.

00:48You didn't ask for inflation to go up and everything.

00:51Toothpaste.

00:52You know, who's bought toothpaste lately?

00:55I paid $15 for a little tube the other day, not far from here.

00:58It is so expensive.

01:00And I wanted to let people know that I'm fighting for our seniors.

01:04I know the struggles.

01:06In fact, I've had an AARP card for a long time.

01:09So, okay, I'm creeping up.

01:12I'm creeping up.

01:13So I'm joining you, right?

01:15But here's what I'm trying to do with the budget.

01:17Focus, as Jeremy said, on finding ways to make sure that we can take care of our senior population.

01:23Those who need to have foods delivered to them at home.

01:26The wait lists across this state are just too long.

01:30Not everybody can come in here every day.

01:32I know it's great to socialize and see your friends.

01:34But we have to make it better so people who are not able to get out can also get good nourishment, the healthy, good meals that keeps them going.

01:41So I am putting a significant amount of money, $53 million, toward that statewide to make sure we can start focusing on all those needs as well.

01:53I'm also focused on tax cuts for people.

01:57There's an inflation rebate that's coming back.

02:00You know what an inflation rebate is?

02:02We realize that because everything costs so much, everything you bought costs more, the state of New York collected more money in sales tax.

02:11Now, we could keep that $3 billion and spend it at the state level.

02:14And I said, no, no, no, no, no.

02:16This came out of the pockets of New Yorkers.

02:19It goes back into the pocket of New Yorkers.

02:22So I'm going to make sure that families get $500, individuals get $300 back, and I'm fighting for that in Albany right now.

02:28That's really important to me.

02:30Also, anybody have any grandkids?

02:34I do, too.

02:35I've got a grandbaby.

02:36I've got another one on the way, too.

02:38It's kind of a secret, so don't tell my daughter I told you.

02:41How many?

02:43Nine?

02:45Oh, you had me beat, sweetheart.

02:47Hope I can catch up to you.

02:49Lots more grandbabies.

02:53But you see what's happening with your children raising kids as well, right?

02:58Everything's expensive, diapers, formula.

03:01We're going to have a tax break for children as well.

03:04So they don't have as much worry as their parents can take care of them.

03:07$1,000 for children under the age of 4 and $500 for older kids.

03:11So we're going to keep focusing on affordability.

03:13But let me stop at the state level.

03:15Anybody worried about what you're hearing coming out of Washington these days?

03:21When I hear Elon Musk call Social Security a Ponzi scheme,

03:27anybody collect Social Security out there?

03:30Do you think it's a Ponzi scheme or do you think it's something that you paid into your whole life of working?

03:35I've been working since I was 15 years old.

03:38We're paying into a system that pays us back when we need it.

03:41It is not a Ponzi scheme.

03:43It's part of the social commitment we have to our citizens and our residents.

03:48We take care of them.

03:50Also, he also said this, that entitlements, meaning they are entitled to it,

03:59Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, are such a big part of the budget that they should go first.

04:07And this is what they're talking about in Washington.

04:10I'm not trying to stress you out, but I'm going to take on that fight.

04:13I'm going to fight for you every step of the way, along with our elected leaders in Washington,

04:18our council member, our state legislators.

04:21We have to stand up and fight back.

04:24So I'm proud to represent all of you, humbling to be your governor.

04:29Never expected this.

04:32And I love what I do.

04:34But coming here today just reminded me who I'm fighting for.

04:38Thank you for the love you've shown me, and I look forward to many, many more returns.

04:41Thank you, everybody.

Gov. Kathy Hochul Announces Measures To Protect New Yorkers' Access To Social Security And Medicaid

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