Governor Hochul Wants to Give You $400 of Your Own Money

Governor Kathy Hochul is touting her $400 rebate back to New York taxpayers in her recent budget proposal. The budget was due April 1st so it is already a month late.

Everyone but the politicians seem to understand that government has no money of its own. Every cent the government has comes from hard working Americans in the form of taxes and fees. But, somehow when politicians are giving it away to other people, or back to you in the form of a rebate, they put their names all over it.

This proposed NY state budget is no different.  It is filled with giveaways hoping to buoy Hochul’s dismal approval ratings as she heads into a new election cycle.  Strong Republican candidates are on the horizon as are threats of a primary challenge within her own party. When there is blood in the water, politicians do what they can to curry favor.

So, what is Hochul doing with your money this year in the form of giveaways?

Over 8 million eligible New Yorkers will receive up to $400 in rebate checks using $2 billion in taxpayer funds. Hochul calls this rebate ‘Inflation Refund Checks”. Individuals will get up to $200, while families can receive up to $400. You don’t have to apply for the checks – you’ll get one as long as you did a tax return for the most recent filing year.

“If anybody questions whether or not an inflation rebate is a good idea, go with me to a grocery store and walk and push a shopping cart as a mom is putting everything from eggs to diapers and bread and tuna fish in the cart,” Hochul said. “I promised New Yorkers to fight like hell to put money back in their pockets and make our streets and subways safer. That’s exactly what this budget will do.”

Here are the income brackets that define what your rebate will be:

• Joint tax filers making up to $150,000: $400
• Joint tax filers making over $150,000 but no greater than $300,000: $300
• Single tax filers making up to $75,000: $200
• Single tax filers making over $75,000 but no greater than $150,000: $150

There is no timeline set yet as to when you might receive your check. The state legislature still has to pass the budget.

Hochul is taking a victory lap claiming she gave back $5000 to NY families. She calls it her Affordability Agenda. Other giveaways using your own tax money include:

1. Expanding New York’s child tax credit to up to $1,000 per child for 1.6 million families.
2. Cutting taxes for the middle class claiming 75 percent of all tax filers in new york will have a tax cut
3. Free school meals save families around $1,600 per child