Any hope that New York taxpayers would get a break from the federal government paring its bloated workforce was dashed by Governor Kathy Hochul who said she would lard up the state payroll with the fired employees.
Governor Kathy Hochul launched a new “You’re Hired” initiative to recruit “talented public sector workers into State service.” This effort comes as the President and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) review and make recommendations to the president and agency heads on how to streamline the federal government.
DOGE is uncovering waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government, as well as ancient computer and paper processing systems that slow things down. DOGE is working to save taxpayer funds and ensure they are spent on needed programs for Americans and advance American interests more broadly.
Not to be deterred by threats of efficiency and saving taxpayer funds, Hochul launched her effort to spend New York taxpayer funds as fast as the federal government saves them.
Governor Hochul released a video message to invite federal workers to join the New York State workforce.
“The federal government might say, ‘You’re fired,’ but here in New York, we say, ‘You’re hired.’ In fact, we love federal workers,” Governor Hochul said. “Whatever your skills, we value public service. Come join our New York State family.”
The other side of the aisle in Albany says this would add more bloat to an already $254 billion state budget. Hochul increased the budget in FY25 by nearly $5 billion at a time when revenues are down, working families are struggling, and taxpayers are fleeing the state more than ever before.
New York State Conservative Party Chairman, Gerry Kassar, says “Hochul continues her tirade against NYS taxpayers by proposing that NYS increase its employment with fired federal employees. The state does not need more employees and the almost 200,000 we have should be required in every case to return full-time to their offices.“
“The state should always encourage the best and brightest to serve in the state’s workforce, “ says Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski). “If we did a better job keeping our residents here, a politically driven job recruitment campaign would not be necessary.”
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Careers in public service offer stability, competitive pay, great benefits, and a chance to make a difference in the lives of your fellow New Yorkers. I encourage all former federal workers with a continued interest in public service to check out the many careers in New York State government today.”
Hochul's statement said that some of the job categories the state needs are: First Responders Engineers, Legal Professionals, and Plow Drivers