Governor’s State of the State Offers Bold Initiatives, Reinforcing Age-Friendly Principles

On January 10, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul gave her second State of the State address to New Yorkers. The theme – “Achieving the New York Dream” – provided 147 bold initiatives, envisioning “a more affordable, more livable and safer New York while opening doors to the communities and people who have historically been blocked from equal chances at success.”

It is well understood that older adults and families touch different state agencies and different systems. The Governor’s focus on affordability, livability, safety and equity are all reinforced by the principles that define the work of NYSOFA, our partner state agencies, local governments, and community-based organizations. These partnerships are critical to achieving the Governor’s agenda, including a key component of last year’s State of the State: the development of a Master Plan for Aging (MPA), now underway. Many of the Governor’s 2023 proposals, if passed, will help inform the MPA’s development, overlapping with key themes and focus areas under deliberation.

From NYSOFA’s lens, there are many proposals in the Governor’s State of the State that will have a positive impact on older New Yorkers including:

• The New York Housing Compact, a groundbreaking strategy to address New York’s housing crisis and build 800,000 new homes over the next decade.
• Major investments in public safety to protect New Yorkers of all ages.
• Fixing New York’s continuum of mental health care.
• Raising the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation.
• Combatting climate change, reducing costs to consumers, creating jobs, and investing in disadvantaged communities
• Strengthening EMS and volunteer firefighters to increase capacity, due to decades of losing volunteers, and allowing EMS personnel to take on additional tasks.
• Increased funding for the health care, long term care and community-based service workforce.
• Developing a Commission on the Future of Health Care.
• Protecting consumers from medical debt and medical costs.
• Prescription price transparency.
• Affordable energy.
• Improvement in public transportation in upstate communities.
• Modernizing state training and employment infrastructure.
• Expanding food access.
• Expanding support for the state’s Veterans.
• Addressing predatory banking fees.

To view all of the Governor’s proposals, please see the 2023 State of the State book.