Mayor Eric Adams has lauded New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious agenda following her State of the State address, emphasizing her commitment to public safety, mental health, and affordability.

In a statement issued on January 10, 2025, Adams highlighted key initiatives outlined by the governor, aligning them with his administration’s priorities for New York City.

“Governor Hochul’s State of the State address showed her commitment to making New York a safer, more affordable city for working-class families,” said Mayor Adams, underscoring the governor’s focus on public safety as a cornerstone of her agenda.

Adams commended Hochul’s approach to tackling street homelessness and severe mental illness, noting the alignment with his administration’s call for state-level action.

“Our administration has publicly called for and urged the state to take action that will make it easier for the city to help those suffering from severe mental illness — even in cases when an individual does not recognize that they need assistance — and we are encouraged that the governor was vocal in her support for these measures in her address today,” he said.

The mayor also expressed gratitude for the governor’s commitment to increasing police presence in the transit system, a measure he said reflects the needs of everyday New Yorkers.

“When I ride our trains and speak to everyday New Yorkers, they repeatedly tell me how they want to see more officers on our subways and more help for those suffering from severe mental illness,” Adams explained.

“The governor is right to prioritize these investments because public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity.”

Addressing criminal justice reform, Adams backed Hochul’s pledge to tackle recidivism and implement discovery reform. “We are asking for real change through discovery reform to preserve the best parts of the 2019 reforms, while reducing undue burdens on our prosecutors, so we can speed up criminal cases, achieve swift and fair justice, and keep recidivists from repeatedly endangering New Yorkers,” Adams emphasized.

On affordability, Adams highlighted Hochul’s initiatives, including expanding the child tax credit and supporting families with baby boxes and childcare investments.

He reiterated his administration’s “Axe the Tax for the Working Class” proposal, which he said would “put $63 million back into the pockets of over half a million working-class New Yorkers.”

“As the legislative session begins, our administration is, once again, looking forward to working with Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea-Stewart Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and all of our partners in Albany to make our city safer, more affordable, and the best place to raise a family,” Adams concluded.

Governor Hochul’s address has set the tone for a legislative session focused on addressing New York’s most pressing challenges, with Adams signaling strong collaboration to achieve transformative results for the city’s residents.