For the first time in history, exactly three years ago, the top office in New York State has been held by a woman.
Kathy Hochul, the 57th governor of this state, assumed power with an economy in tatters due to the pandemic, and against the backdrop of high concern among New Yorkers about the advance of criminal activities.
In an exclusive conversation with the board of directors of El Diario, Hochul said that her vision of governance has focused on improving the quality of life of the working family and restoring the illusions that sustain the “American dream.”
After this 36-month transition, leading the New York government, in her conversation with this media, the president reiterated that violent crimes are at their lowest in history. She also outlined in her roadmap that policies will continue to be created to alleviate, as far as possible, the impact that the national inflationary maelstrom has on the poorest, as well as the dramatic shortage of affordable housing.
He stressed that the mental health of children and adolescents has been a priority during his administration.
Actions against repeat offenders
- There is talk of a decrease in the rate of shootings and violent crimes, but at the same time, small business owners, such as grocery store owners, continue to report that they are plagued by robberies almost daily like never before.
A little over two years ago I was walking through the Bronx and stopped at a small store. The owner told me that there are people coming in almost every day to steal. He told me about how the same people get arrested and almost immediately go back out on the street. I had to go to the Legislature and do something about it. The first step was to propose changes to the bail laws to make sure we could crack down on repeat offenders. People were sweeping the shelves and terrorizing our retail workers. I have a deep relationship with the bodega owners. We have done a lot together, and they are part of a very powerful coalition to change the laws to protect these businesses and their employees. We must make sure that anyone who attacks a retail worker is charged with an aggravated felony. We are also moving forward on grants so that small businesses can invest up to $3,000 in protective technology and the state will consider it as a tax credit.
- Don’t you think that there is still a very high perception of insecurity generated precisely by this wave of robberies and the constant complaints from merchants?
I’m very aware of the anxiety that’s out there. That’s why we’re fighting to make changes that will increase penalties for repeat offenders. We actually changed the bail laws. And we also put $40 million into our district attorneys so they have the resources they need to be able to prosecute these cases. Because they said they didn’t have enough resources. This issue is very important to me. My number one job is to protect people. And we have to reach out to businesses. We have to protect them, too, because many have left in the wake of the thefts. For example, large stores like a Target store, which leaves a huge void for people to get more affordable products. Small businesses are also being plagued.
- Are there any assessments of the impact of these new laws on the protection of retail workers and the changes in the reform of the Bail Bond Law?
The technical changes went into effect just a couple of months ago. I forced them through the State Legislature. And we got them through. At first, many resisted. It was not an easy task. But we convinced them that these communities needed more protection. So, we haven’t had time yet to see the benefits. These legal packages were signed just a few months ago. The truth is that overall, crime is going down. It’s gone down a lot. You know, murders and shootings are down to the levels of the 1960s. And I have to say, the upward trajectory of retail robberies has stopped. They’re not down to where they used to be. But at least, we stopped continuing to climb. It’s very important for me to convey to business owners that I know what they’re going through. I’ve heard them directly. I was with grocery store owners last week in Queens. They thanked me for everything I did, to sign the legislation and to push for it to protect them. So we’re making a difference.
Housing as a foreground
- It is a real drama, the housing affordability crisis for the working class, particularly in New York City, has become an emergency. Do you think what you have proposed in your 2025 budget is enough?
I promised New Yorkers that we would address housing affordability. And in this budget we did. I have been the first governor in 50 years to put housing front and center. I will continue to fight to make our state more affordable and more livable. I know it is a tragedy for Hispanic families, who are so close-knit, that many grandchildren or children have to leave the neighborhood where they have lived for decades because of rising rents. We have a very clear path. We have substantially increased investments to provide fiscal incentives to the private sector to build more and more housing. But in the case of the city, there are legal issues that the municipality must address, to accelerate the possibility, for example, of converting offices into housing. We have also achieved protections against disproportionate rent increases and evictions. It is dramatic that many people work in New York and have to live in neighboring states. On the other side of the river, more housing has been built than here. And we are going to reverse that.
- What other measures can be taken, from your position, to reverse the working class’s battle against inflation?
Since this summer, we have taken very clear steps in this direction. Obviously, the very high cost of rent is the number one factor. Secondly, we have child care. For a family earning minimum wage, it is impossible to pay for this service. That is why many mothers stop working. I am the first woman and mother to have been governor. I know first-hand what it costs to raise a child. We have been leaders in putting money back into the pockets of families through tax incentives. We increased resources for low-cost child care. Our summer nutrition plans, which gave a $150 subsidy to children eligible for school meals, has also been an incentive that we will continue to review. Inflation is a national challenge that we must face. When you look at the prices of toothpaste, for example, you realize that it is too much for a family earning minimum wage.
Safety as a priority
- What will be your main challenges in the legislative processes to come?
Our priority will always be to strengthen public security policies, with special forces where necessary, police intelligence, more technology and also violence-interrupting programs. It is an issue that we take on in a comprehensive manner. But at the same time we must strengthen support for prosecutors and judges so that they can do their job. The other cornerstone of our administration is the mental health of our children and young people. We are experiencing a dark moment with addictions derived from technology and social media. In this budget, we have the novelty of having invested one billion dollars in mental health programs for the youngest. And we want much more for the future in this area. In the area of health, we are addressing the expansion of Medicare and medical services in general. For that, we need much more personnel. The Joe Biden Administration has helped us a lot in this.
- You have stopped congestion pricing for vehicles travelling through downtown and southern Manhattan. Is this a permanent measure?
I think it is fair to stop it until the new scenarios, which did not exist before the pandemic, are analyzed. When this policy was first devised, which in addition to the environmental motivation, aims to finance the capital plan of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), we were not fighting the spiral of inflation. Firefighters, teachers, health workers, public servants, who cannot work remotely, were going to be the most punished by this measure. It is $15 a day. I will always insist that this must be reviewed. In parallel, we will continue to invest with our funds, for the improvements of the transportation system, at a time when people are regaining confidence in traveling on the Subway, because it is much safer.
The power of the vote
- How do you think you can overcome the apathy of New York voters, especially Latinos who do not go to vote, under the idea that New York is a blue state, where Democrats always win?
We are absolutely certain that Kamala Harris will be elected president next November. But we must reiterate to our communities that it is not just about the president, but that we must maintain and increase the seats in Congress. Otherwise, as has happened in several periods, it will be much more complicated to defend Democratic values such as Medicare, child care and infrastructure plans, which create thousands of jobs where Hispanics are particularly benefited. In this election, it is very important that voters come out to defend the values of democracy. We do not want to see Republicans in the future, once again blocking, for political reasons, all the measures necessary for the country.
- Some polls a couple of months ago showed that Latino voters in New York have increased their voting intention for Donald Trump. Do you think the immigration crisis has anything to do with this?
Hispanic communities are very diverse. Within these fascinating groups, there are different beliefs, visions and values. But it is important to emphasize that always, above all things, Democrats will protect the rights and benefits of the working family. That has been and will be our principle. Donald Trump in this case would only come to protect his taxes and his investments. I understand that the immigration crisis has generated reactions and we are still facing this problem. Even with some measures, the number of people arriving in New York has been reduced in recent months.