New York’s governor is making a push for various initiatives in the new year as Albany’s annual budget fight is just getting started. On Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul outlined several “give-money-back-to-New-Yorkers” ideas she’s got cooking for 2025…including more time off for expectant mothers, her $300 and $500 inflation refund, and, as of January first, increases in the minimum wage, to $16.50 an hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester, and $15.50 across the rest of the state…
Rockland Assemblyman Karl Brabenec of the 98th district, covering western Ramapo and parts of Orange County, voted against increasing the minimum wage, because, he said, it tends to help jobs, for example, those in the fast-food industry, that are less consequential to the community…
Hochul will deliver her 2025 State of the State Address on Tuesday, January 14th in Albany.