ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged Friday to keep New York on a pro-business path, citing new jobs, fiscal prudence, and major technology investments. Speaking at the Business Council of New York’s Annual Meeting in Albany, Hochul pressed her case for growth, affordability, and innovation.
Hochul said she rebuilt state reserves from 4% to more than 15%, then used a one-time cash infusion to pay off the state’s unemployment insurance debt. She called it a direct boost for employers large and small. “If there’s one pro-business thing I can do, it is eliminating this,” Hochul told the gathering.
Job growth
The governor highlighted job growth since she took office, noting 800,000 new private-sector positions have been added. She urged business leaders to reject relocation pitches from rival states, stressing that her administration is “on your side, not on your back.”
Housing
Housing, energy, and workforce development dominated her policy agenda. Hochul said New York must build more homes to keep workers near job sites and expand nuclear, hydro, and clean energy projects to power industry. She tied those efforts to the massive Micron semiconductor project in Central New York and other advanced manufacturing investments.
Public safety
Public safety also drew attention. Hochul pointed to declining crime rates, including historic lows on the subway, and repeated her support for law enforcement funding.
The governor closed with a pitch for technology leadership. She spotlighted the $500 million “Empire AI” project in Buffalo, calling it the nation’s largest public-good supercomputer. Hochul said the initiative will attract top researchers, drive innovation, and give New York an edge in artificial intelligence.
“Whoever harnesses the power of AI today will own the next generations of power,” Hochul said.
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Ten years of experience reporting. From car chases and courtroom verdicts to House fires, Holsford thrives during breaking news and finds it a privilege to help drive the conversation in Rockland County and the Greater New York Area. Born in San Bernardino, Thomas is a New York boy at heart. He received his bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, specializing in political science and sociology, from the University of Illinois
