5 things in Hochul's 2025 State of the State to watch on Tuesday

And what Senate Democrats and Republicans said Monday.

Good afternoon — it’s Monday and National Sticker Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• Here are five things to keep an eye on in Hochul’s State of the State Tuesday.

• Taxes and fees will be on the table to fund the MTA, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said.

• What Senate Republicans want to hear from Hochul on Tuesday.

• Here are the committee meetings scheduled for Tuesday.

• This Week in New York History: Al Capone, jazz at the Met, and the “Sons of Liberty.”

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Hochul’s 2024 State of the State (Will Waldron/Times Union)

5️⃣ Five things to watch for in Hochul’s State of the State Tuesday

Gov. Kathy Hochul is scheduled to deliver her State of the State address tomorrow and members of the Legislature have a long wish list.

So does the public, particularly after last year’s election revealed a notable political shift toward the right for New York voters. Hochul has since tried to capitalize on the issues that drove voters in that direction.

It’s a big moment for Hochul. If she doesn’t deliver in this year’s legislative session, the chances only grow of her facing a primary from another member of her party in the 2026 race for governor. Candidates interested will likely make that known this year.

There’s a lot to watch for tomorrow. But here are five big things that everyone in Albany will have their eyes on.

1. Where will funding for the MTA come from?

The state needs $65 billion to fund the capital needs of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority over the next five years. That money can be borrowed using about $2 billion in revenue.

But that money has to come from somewhere. Despite the size of the state’s budget, New York doesn’t have $2 billion to just throw around.

Hochul is expected to point to a new source of revenue to generate those funds, either in her State of the State tomorrow or in her executive budget this month.

2. Involuntary commitment of people with a mental illness

There have been a series of awful attacks in New York City in recent months. Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have responded by calling for more flexibility in forcing someone to be admitted to a hospital for mental health treatment.

That’s called involuntary commitment. Some lawmakers have expressed civil rights concerns about expanding that power.

There are multiple proposals out there, but Hochul hasn’t thrown her support behind one in particular.

Hochul on Monday (Will Waldron/Times Union)

3. New York’s cost of living and the economy

Hochul will attempt to answer a question that Democrats have been unable to address in several years: how can New York lower the cost of living?

She’s already proposed a few things — stimulus-style checks for New Yorkers, an expanded child tax credit and more — but is expected to have a broader package as part of her address Tuesday.

Adams and lawmakers from New York City will also be watching for anything from Hochul that might help support the city’s finances and economic outlook.

4. Climate commitments and the cost to consumers

This plays into the cost of living but there’s been particular pressure over the past year for Democrats to convince voters that New York’s climate mandates won’t drain their bank accounts.

But Hochul has also come under fire, no pun intended, for her opposition to the current version of the NY HEAT Act, which would cap utility bills while ending a requirement for gas companies to install hookups for new customers.

Her address Tuesday will be another test of balancing her environmental priorities with the cost of the transition.

5. Criminal justice changes after the death of Robert L. Brooks

Hochul has kept on top of the death of Robert L. Brooks, who died last month at Marcy Correctional Facility after several correction officers severely beat him while he was handcuffed.

Hochul has directed some changes already, including expedited funding to install cameras in state prisons, but hasn’t pitched a policy package beyond that.

It would be of note if Brooks’ death goes unmentioned, particularly when several lawmakers have been outspoken on it.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (Will Waldron/Times Union)

💵 ‘Everything will have to be on the table,’ Stewart-Cousins says of MTA revenue gap