Governor Kathy Hochul came to Farmingdale to announce in person how the newly passed New York State budget will benefit Long Islanders from her perspective.
Hochul said that the budget puts thousands of dollars back in the pockets of millions of families on Long Island over the coming year and beyond. Policies such as expanding the size of New York’s Child Tax Credit, including tripling the credit for children four and under, cutting taxes for 1.2 million middle class Long Islanders, and sending inflation refund checks directly to 1.3 million households on Long Island.
“The cost of living is too damn high for Long Island families, so I promised to put more money in your pockets — and we got it done,” Governor Hochul said. “Putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of families means helping Long Islanders afford the rising costs of groceries, raising kids, and just enjoying life. When I said your family is my fight, I meant it – and I’ll never stop fighting for you.”
The FY 2026 Enacted Budget totals $254 billion and does not raise income taxes. Funding in the major categories includes:
Transportation
- Increasing public transit funding by 7% for Nassau/Suffolk County - $177 million combined for a more reliable service.
- $6 billion for the Long Island Railroad and a smoother safe arrive for over 600,000 Long Islanders who use it every single weekday.
- Broke ground on the Yaphank station greatly improving the commune to Brookhaven.
- $150 million to move ahead with the plans to connect Ronkoncoma Station with MacArthur Airport.
- Fully funding the MTA's capital plan $68.4 billion. Long Island is a tremendous beneficiary of this,
More than $270 million in additional state aid for Long Island school districts for the 2025–26 academic year — a 5.4% increase over the current year.
Investing in Long Island’s Environment and Resilience
- $1.7 billion for the State’s share of the Fire Island to Montauk Point (FIMP) project — a federal-state-local partnership representing a once-in-a-generation investment in Long Island’s long-term flood resilience.
- $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, including $17.15 million specifically for Long Island programs that protect groundwater and preserve the island’s unique environment.
- Additional $8.75 million for the Blue Buffers Voluntary Buyout Program, which supports resilient shorelines and protects vulnerable Long Island homes from future flooding.
Taxes will go down for more than 80 percent of all tax filers on Long Island delivering nearly $168 million annually in tax relief to 1.2 million Long Islanders.
Sending Inflation Refund Checks to Long Island
The FY 2026 Budget agreement includes a plan to send New York’s first-ever inflation refund checks, which will put $316.4 million back in the pockets of almost 1.3 million Long Island taxpayers. Roughly $200 per taxpayer depending on income.
Expanding New York’s Child Tax Credit
215,000 Long Island families will receive an annual tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under age four and up to $500 per child from four through sixteen. This is the largest expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit in its history — benefitting approximately 355,000 children on Long Island.