Gov. Kathy Hochul criticizes former President Donald Trump's tax policies after Long Island rally
NEW YORK — Gov. Kathy Hochul is reminding New Yorkers that former President Donald Trump's administration backed legislation capping the State And Local Tax deduction (SALT) after he promised to reinstate the policy at his Long Island rally Wednesday.
Thursday in Manhattan, Hochul reminded New Yorkers that 3 million of them are eligible for a $2.3 billion state tax relief program called STAR. Under the program, homeowners earning $500,000 or less can get rebates of several hundred dollars a year, and residents over the age of 65 can get more than $1,000.
Her remarks came one day after thousands flocked to Nassau Coliseum for a Trump campaign rally.
Hochul says Trump's tax policies hit New Yorkers hard
At her announcement, Hochul reminded people who own homes on Long Island and in Westchester and other suburbs, where there are some heavily contested congressional races, that Trump's tax policies hit them hard in the pocketbook.
"He obliterated the State And Local Tax deduction that had been there since the beginning of the tax code when President Abraham Lincoln was in office," she said.
That policy, informally known as SALT, came with a hefty cost to New York taxpayers, she said.
"It's costed individuals in these areas about $5,500 more a year that they used to be able to deduct. Over the six years, it's $33,000," she said.
Democrats need to focus on flipping control of the House, Hochul says
Hochul admitted that helping to flip control of the House weighs heavily on her mind, but she brushed aside concerns about her own poor showing in polls.
According to a new poll out Thursday, Hochul's favorability rating is now just 34% and her job approval rating is just 39%. Additionally, 55% of New Yorkers think the state is headed in the wrong direction.
"The only numbers I'm focused on right now are the numbers to make sure that we can ensure that Hakeem Jeffries is the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, so I'm looking at number seven. Seven seats we need to flip. Two seats, we need to hold ... The political side has been laser-focused on ensuring that we have a victory," Hochul said.
The STAR rebates are worth a lot less than restoring SALT, which is why Hochul is making flipping the House a top priority.
"We're going to work hard to restore the State And Local Tax deduction," Hochul said.