Economic plans for upstate, mental health among final Democratic primary debate issues
Max Mimaroglu | Photo Editor
The event was the second debate of the Democratic gubernatorial primary election for Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the third for Rep. Tom Suozzi (D - Long Island) and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
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In the third and final debate of the Democratic primaries on Thursday night, Rep. Tom Suozzi’s (D – Long Island) criticism over Gov. Kathy Hochul’s history of endorsement by the NRA sparked discussions on candidates’ evolution on issues such as gun laws and abortion.
The three Democratic gubernatorial candidates also discussed state taxes, gun laws, mental health funding and economic plans for upstate New York in the final scheduled debate before the primary election on June 28.
Hochul debated New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Suozzi at the event hosted by NBC 4 New York, Telemundo 47 and the Albany Times Union.
Candidates discussed mental health among young people in New York state, and responded to concerns about a statewide shortage of therapists and psychiatrists. Williams said the state needs to build mental health infrastructure, and the governor must prioritize its funding in the state budget.
Hochul referred to her budget’s allocation of $10 billion to recruit workers in areas such as mental health. Her administration allocated funding to education, which will facilitate new hires in mental health following impacts of the pandemic, she added.
“We have to help lift these kids back up, and mental health services in schools is going to be a critical part of it,” Hochul said. “But we have money to recruit, recruit, recruit, retrain, and get more people into this field. It’s critically important.”
Suozzi responded that moving state, federal and locally-funded mental health services that already exist into schools would be more effective than continuing to allocate increased funding.
Suozzi also advocated for tax cuts as a means to improve the economy of upstate New York, stating that lower taxes would help maintain its current population and encourage New York City businesses to relocate north. Hochul also emphasized that recruiting businesses to the area is essential to turning around the economy in upstate New York.
In a discussion over lowering certain state taxes, Hochul stated she is focused on her recent $1.2 billion middle-class tax cut, as well as the $2.2 billion in property taxes returned to taxpayers in the last couple of weeks. Hochul also said she does not plan to raise taxes on New Yorkers. Suozzi said he plans to cut state income tax by 10%.
“People do not feel like New York is affordable,” Suozzi said. “We have the highest taxes in the United States of America. That’s not something emotional. That’s real life, that real people are suffering because we have the highest taxes in America.”
Williams responded that rhetoric about not raising taxes aligns with Republican talking points, and said in order to lower property taxes for the working and middle classes the state must increase tax revenue from billionaires who have profited during the pandemic.
More coverage on the New York state gubernatorial primary election:
- Republican gubernatorial candidates discuss crime, abortion in sole debate
- Candidates discuss gun violence, reproductive rights in Democratic primary debate
- Breaking down important political dates in New York state for summer 2022
With the Supreme Court poised to overturn New York state’s right to carry gun law, making it easier for people to get permits, Hochul said she plans to respond to the decision with a legally sustainable approach tailored to whatever basis the court uses to strike down the law.
Williams said there should have been $1 billion in the 2022-23 FY budget to address gun violence, and emphasized the difference between addressing mass shootings and handgun violence. State legislation alone cannot solve the latter, which is more difficult to deal with, he added.
“What pained me to see these commercials of signing this legislation (was that the) signing happened in the Bronx,” Williams said. “And those bills have absolutely nothing to deal with the type of gun violence that you’re speaking about right now.”
The debate is the second for Hochul and the third for Williams and Suozzi, who debated each other earlier in June. Early voting for the Democratic gubernatorial primaries begins Saturday, June 18 and ends Sunday, June 26.
Published on June 17, 2022 at 3:45 pm
Contact Jana: jlseal@syr.edu | @JanaLoSeal
