Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul is a Guest on LI News Radio

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on LI News Radio with Jay Oliver.

AUDIO: The Governor's interview is available in audio form here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio:  Listen, it's great having her on. We had her on a lot as the Lieutenant Governor back in the day. It's great having her on as the Governor, you know her well, Kathy Hochul joins us live and in living color right here on the radio.

Governor Hochul: Good morning. Good morning. I miss you guys.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: I miss you too. What's going on? How have you been? Everything okay?

Governor Hochul: I’m doing great. I spend an enormous amount of time on Long Island, so —

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: I know you have.

Governor Hochul: I am everywhere because it's really an important part of our state. But I appreciate all you do to cover the breaking and important news that Long Islanders need to know about. So, thank you.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: Well, listen, it's what we do. It's what we sign up for, I'll tell you that much, Governor. And we try and do it as best as anyone. Now, of course, you signed up for the job and your job entails tough events, including what happened Monday night. I know there was a vigil taking place last night as horrific as you could possibly get in our beloved city. And, it's something you don't even want to think about what could happen, but it did happen. And after everything unveiled — there's nothing worse. There's really nothing worse. Give me a sense of the feeling last night where you were — go ahead. Let's hear it.

Governor Hochul: Well, there's just a shock wave that is rippled to our city. It shatters that sense of security that people have when they're working in downtown office buildings and walking on the streets of Manhattan, and it's hard to get that back. What I'm so deeply disturbed by is that we have the toughest gun laws in America. We have just about the lowest homicide by gun rate in America because of our laws. But someone can come from another state where they don't care. They don't have rules in place. They let anyone, even with a mental health problem, have access to assault weapons and they can come all the way to our state and violate our sanctity and our security.

That to me is a cause of anger. But last night was — the emotion was more grief as we saw so many people come together and support the NYPD and the fallen officer and the other victims, and it was a prayer vigil. We had so many faiths represented to allow people to think about their own religion and how it's a place of comfort for them at this time and make sure people are returning to their faith.

And I think about that because I spoke to the young widow, Bangladeshi, widow of the fallen officer, and I asked her what we can do. And she said to me, “Just pray for us.” So I delivered that message to everyone last night, that they were doing what she had asked for, which was to keep the family in their prayers.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: Yeah, that's all you can do really. And I've stated this Governor, over the last couple of days since the incident, having worked in that great city for so many years, practically living in the city with jobs. Back in the day, there was always cops on every corner, five or six deep in that section. You go into the buildings — and I used to frequent those types of buildings all the time — you'd find four deep police officers. We know the NYPD's down about 10,000 cops. Boy, I'll tell you, we need more enforcement.

I would love to see more security involved and listen, the NYPD in my opinion, is the best police force in the world. In my estimation, we have to get more of them, and I would like to see our streets even safer. Is that a possibility? I know you deployed a lot of people as far as when we had the subway incidents and everything else. That's great. But boy — man, I'll tell you — I would love to see a little bit more as far as our men and women in blue. I'm hoping that could be possible one day.

Governor Hochul: I completely agree with you. Our forces are down. Sometimes recruitment is hard. I mean, I'm finding the same thing with even corrections officers and state police, but people are not opting for these careers anymore, and part of it may be the fact that people have been very negative and derogatory toward police officers in the last few years. And so, as a young person thinking about what career they want, do they really want to go into this? And we have to restore the nobility associated with careers in law enforcement.

My husband was a federal prosecutor working with police for 30 years, and my son's a prosecutor and so we are a strong law enforcement family and support them, but they need to feel supported by the community as well. But I agree with you, we need to increase the ranks of NYPD. They are the best and without a doubt, and they need to have more reinforcements, which is why when it came to a spike in subway crimes last year, I took state money, which is unprecedented to cover the overtime costs of NYPD on all the overnight trains.

So people going into their jobs — working late nights as healthcare workers at a hospital or having to go work in hospitality at a hotel or a bar, they could feel secure as well. So that has helped drive down our subway crime numbers to record lows or historic lows in the last few years. But more needs to be done and people do need that to see the person in the physical — they see someone on the street corner as you mentioned, and give you a greater sense of security, but you'll see more of them on our subways. I deployed the National Guard to our subways when we didn't have enough police officers. Because I do believe — with you — that is a visible presence, that is a deterrent to criminals, as well as gives a sense of comfort and security to all those who are following the rules.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: No question about it. You're listening to the Governor of the State of New York. Kathy, you hold along with us, ladies and gentlemen. Now preceding you, Governor, we had on Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. and we talked about some of the state aid money and everything else heading to our enforcement, our agencies. The Sheriff was very grateful. And I know you coupled with him just, I think it was last week, right? Was it last week?

Governor Hochul: Yes, it was. Right. I was out there with County Executive Ed Romaine, who I think is doing an exceptional job. We're great partners and the sheriff is — I have to tell you, with their work on red flag laws as well, which means that when someone shows some sign of either mental illness or that they telegraph on social media, that they're going to do harm to themselves or others, the police step into action immediately.

They don't wait for the crime to be committed and Suffolk County leads our state in the number of red flag laws implemented, which we call extreme risk order of protection. And I commended him and all the police officers out in Suffolk County and the Sheriff's Department. I just want to go and thank them, I was out there to say you're doing a great job. These crime numbers are dropping tremendously. When I first became Governor, the numbers were going up and crime was still trending way upward, and I said no more. I've invested overall $2.6 billion in public safety, particularly for local law enforcement and gun violence disruption programs and programs for alternatives for youth.

So it's a comprehensive strategy but we really rely on partners like the Sheriff to execute on the ground. I will fund, I will give support, I will give technological support, I will be a resource, and sometimes we even have to send our — I'm sorry our state police in the communities that are under siege. So I'll be the best friend to local communities when it comes to keeping residents safe.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: They may need you, there's no doubt about it. Now also I tell you, you were here a couple of months ago, and I know a lot of people were thrilled with the fact of your support for the Town of Islip and the great airport here, and it was $150 million grant, Governor, right, for the North Terminal connector to the train. It'll help really transform the region, getting cars off the road and everything else. Creating a lot of jobs, and really solidifying the economic development as far as the future is concerned. I thought that was a really good move.

Governor Hochul: Thank you and working with the Supervisor out there she's extraordinary and I want to thank all the local partners for helping us get to that place. But sometimes and I spent 14 years in local government, you dream big and you want to do something spectacular for your community, but you don't always have an ally in Albany who will bring the dollars to make it happen. For the last four years as Governor, I have been that ally because I understand the pressures that communities are under. I know what they want to do in terms of economic development, and Islip has enormous potential. I want to see more housing so people who live on Long Island can work there. I've been saying this for years and they can live there, they can raise their families there. And you know what's sad is that.

Everybody loves Long Island. If you live there, I mean it's the assets, the beauty, the charm, the small towns own the farmer's markets, the downtown, it's extraordinary. It is such a special place. But when you raise your children there and they get older and they want to start their own families and they have to leave Long Island because there's not enough housing. That to me is a tragedy.

So we have to be smart in where we do it and I'm very supportive of local governments to get this done, but also the economic development potential. And reinvesting in the Long Island Railroad, which really is the lifeblood of Long Island to be able to be so far out geographically — but to be in a job in Midtown if that's where you work in an hour or just a little bit higher. That is something that no other part of the country can boast. And it's part of what makes our region so special.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: No question about it. You talk about affordable housing, I think it's key without a question. I do think it's also key we get it in the right spot. That'll be a major component, but the other thing is, my biggest concern, Governor, right now is the exodus of those who just can't afford to live in the state. They're going elsewhere around the country, that's absolutely documented.

And I would love to see more affordability here in New York and our beloved Long Island region as well. I'm hoping that could be achieved and I know a lot of people are struggling these days, especially when it comes to housing.

Governor Hochul: They are absolutely struggling. Absolutely, and here's what I did in my budget this year, leaning hard into the affordability issue. When my parents started out they lived at a trailer park, we were raised having to buy clothes at used clothing stores — and my parents tried to spread kind of meager meals for eight of us. I know what it's like and I see too many families today who feel that the American dream is so far out of reach for them. They work hard, they got an education or they got a trade and they want to do exactly what their families and grandparents were able to do and they can't achieve it — no fault of their own.

And the main reason is we have not kept up with the demand for housing over decades, people move there and then they shut the doors to anyone else. They don't want to see development and smart development in the right places, as you mentioned particularly around our terminal and our train stations. That makes all the sense in the world. We have wonderful examples of that like Ronkonkoma, that's an amazing place to live and work. But you said they're going to other states? Let me tell you the five states that New Yorkers are going to. They go to Florida or Texas. I understand weather's better, maybe taxes. But the other three states are Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The weather's the same, the taxes are the same, and the difference is they can buy housing cheaper because there was more supply. So that's the ambition that we lacked — that's what I'm trying to make up for now, and gauging the local supervisors has been so important and giving them the money.

I have $750 million on the table for communities who will agree to be Pro-Housing communities, meet growth targets — and they're not very high, it's just one percent a year, it's not that high. But you keep building housing, I'll give you the money to rebuild your downtowns. I'll give you the money for sewers, which is really important, and continue these investments because this is the answer to the big question of affordability is building more housing. That is people's most expensive bill at the end of the month — whether it's your mortgage or your rent.

And, if we can reduce that as well as the $5,000 I'm putting back in families’ pockets with the lowest middle class tax rate cut in 70 years. We're cutting taxes for 80 percent of Long Island families; we have a $400 refund inflation refund — about 1.3 million Long Island residents will get that; we're tripling the child tax credit — 215,000 Long Island families will receive that. So what I'm seeing overall is families are going to start seeing relief in their pockets because they have a Governor who's struggled like they have, who understands the power of government to help lift people up, and I'll keep doing my part in supporting our communities and our families.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: I got two quick ones for you and I'll tell you, people know I'm not a fan of the MTA. How hard was it for you to go along with the congestion pricing? I have not been a fan of the way the MTA has conducted its business — I have to be honest with you. No matter how much money is allotted to them, Governor, they seem to screw it up. They have to do a better job — you would agree with me on that?

Governor Hochul: Well, I'll agree that it gets frustrating at times, no doubt about it, okay. But because of congestion pricing, we have $1.8 billion coming to Long Island to make improvements on the Long Island Rail Road. I mean, our whole system is 100 years old and you have to make the investments, and the improvements, and new signals, and new tracks and new cars, and you don't do that without having money to do that. No one wants to raise the fares — I mean, just minor amounts, but not dramatically. This is a way that we can encourage more ridership and we have.

Ridership is way up. Customer satisfaction on the Long Island Rail Road is trending at record levels of satisfaction, which I track all the time. I want to make sure our customers are happy because they're paying for a service and that's how I view my job as Governor — everyone is running a business and we provide a service to people. So, improvements are happening. Every once in a while we get a little derailed here, I should say, sidetracked. We had some problems yesterday because of power outages, but that was because of the extreme heat that put too much pressure on our grid.

So, I understand what you're saying. I know a lot of people are not fans of congestion pricing, but I've had plenty of Long Island residents tell me they're happy because they can get into Midtown so much faster — that's time back with their families, or time to take a walk in the morning with the dog or to exercise, and they're getting quality of time back and that's what it's all about, saving time as well.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: Yep, no doubt. I'll leave you with this. You and I are in agreement: We'd like to see more police, NYPD. There's a guy who's running for Mayor that wants to kind of cut that a little bit, Mr. Mamdani. Now I know you're running for re-election next year, we got a big mayoral race this year. Based on that component, would you endorse Zohran Mamdani at this point?

Governor Hochul: I've not made decisions, but that kind of defund the police attitude — it's nothing I could ever support, and whether people have changed that position, I need to know. I want to see a plan for making our city in the region safer and that has to involve the NYPD and increasing the ranks, not defunding them or decreasing the numbers.

So, I'm willing to hear a plan, but that's important. That's on the candidate to persuade me that public safety is a top priority as it is for me.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: Governor, I was told we're going to have you on often. I look forward to that. I look forward to the next time.

Governor Hochul: Let's do it. Alright, take care now. Bye-bye.

Jay Oliver, LI News Radio: Appreciate it. That's Kathy Hochul, ladies and gentlemen, the Governor of the State of New York. There you go.