B-roll, Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: As Washington Republicans Make Life Harder and More Expensive for Working Families, Governor Hochul Continues Push for Key[...]

Governor Kathy Hochul today joined business and lumber industry leaders to discuss how key budget proposals like her auto insurance and State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) reforms will make life more affordable for New York families. As Washington Republicans pursue an agenda that is making life harder and more expensive for hardworking Americans, Governor Hochul's budget prioritizes putting money back into the pockets of New York families.

B-ROLL of the Governor touring Kamco Supply Co. and the products impacted as a result of rising auto insurance rates is available to stream on Youtube hereand TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

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

 Good morning, everyone. Today we're at Kamco Supply Corporation New England, and I'm joined by Steve Breault, the Warehouse Manager; Jaimie St. John, the New York Regional Manager; and Daniel O'Connor, the Chief Marketing Officer. Also joined by Louise Eddy, the owner of the Saratoga Quality Lumber and Hardware; and also Heather Mulligan, the President and CEO of the Business Council; as well as other partners representing the lumber industry.

Why are we here? Take a guess. We're here to talk about the constant onslaught of new fees and escalating costs for our businesses. And New York State would not be the powerhouse that it is without companies like Kamco. They're delivering manufacturing building materials that are literally building our state. And they're all over New York. They've got over a hundred employees from here to Buffalo. This is one of their largest facilities and they have about 30 employees right here alone. It's really the quintessential American success story.

It started about 50 years ago, started by Jack Sheehy, now it's owned and managed by his son, Jay. And its grown from a little modest shop to a powerhouse in the industry. But think about all the obstacles that a company like Kamco representing countless others have had to endure. 2020 hit by constant unprecedented supply chain disruptions because of the pandemic followed by sky high inflation; then you have the reckless decisions coming out of Washington that continue to drive costs up like the implementation of tariffs.

We just had a conversation. I said, "Let's think about this." In the last year, you've had to deal with tariffs that were escalating, particularly with our war on Canada. You have higher gasoline prices than you even had a couple months ago because of the war with Iran. You have - continuing to escalate auto insurance rates, which he's going to tell you went up 12 percent since last year. And these costs are all adding up and it's all conspiring against the success of great New York companies like Kamco.

And that's why I want to put a spotlight on their challenges. So let's just go back. Trump's tariffs have increased the cost of building materials in this state by 15 to 25 percent - 15 to 25 percent higher than they were a year ago. Now, who is hit by that? You can walk in this place around the corner, the retail shop - these are people who want to put on their own deck, they want to replace their windows. These are homeowners who are now having to bear these additional costs because of the Trump tariff. Most of it comes from - the aluminum and lumber often come from Canada. And this unbelievable tariff war with our greatest trading partner is just absurd.

And companies like Kamco are feeling the effect. So think about this: Every time you build a new single family home, the cost from the tariffs alone has increased the overall cost by at least $11,000. Now, I don't know if you remember like I do, but there's a President who's with us today who said on day one, costs would go down. Anybody think that happened? No, because it didn't. Costs are continuing to go up, and up and up. So if you're a family [and you] want to build your dream home or a company like Kamco, everybody is getting hit hard by these tariffs. So I'm committed to opposing these reckless tariffs. In fact, the Supreme Court said they were illegal. What does that mean? That means they're supposed to be shut down and also rebates are due to the American people.

Companies that can keep good track of their tariffs are able to get a refund, but what about the families that have been paying these higher costs over the last year? Every single business and household in the State of New York should be able to recoup these extra expenses, and that's why I'm demanding - and will continue to demand - the $13.5 billion that the Trump administration owes New Yorkers. Because, as I said, that's about an average of $1,700 per household. Let's put it back in people's pockets. Now, let's go back to the cost of gas. [The cost] of gasoline has gone up nearly 40 percent - 40 percent just in the last year, or since the beginning of this year. Not in the last year, just in the last few months.

Now think about an industry like this. Everything gets delivered - it doesn't stay here, it's delivered on trucks. The diesel fuel you need to power delivery trucks and construction vehicles is now running $6 a gallon and I don't believe we are through seeing that escalation. It's a 50 percent increase on top of the tariffs. Now you have the cost of gasoline going up. So this is a pattern. It's a pattern. This administration seems intent. I'm putting up all these roadblocks and extra costs to make life more difficult for these companies.

Well, that's Washington. Here in New York, we're doing things differently. We actually don't believe in hurting our businesses, we're here to help them. So when I delivered my State of the State address, I promised that I would continue to fight for all businesses and families. There's another area where I want to make sure that we can get some real changes, and I'll get back to my meetings with the Legislature just in another couple of hours.

I'm trying so hard to undo the effects of an out of control litigation system, jackpot payouts, rampant fraud and all these are working to make sure one result that New York State has the highest insurance rates in the nation - $1,500 more than the national average, [an] average of $4,000 a year. Now, like I said, lumber yards and building supply companies are seeing an increase of 12 to 15 percent just from last year.

The average truck can cost $10,000 or more to ensure lumber yards like this have many, many trucks. And actually your increase went up almost 25 percent, I'll let you talk about that. So I also - representing us in the Northeastern Lumber Retail Lumber Association, thank you for joining us. They estimate that our reforms, what I'm trying to get through the Legislature, will save members nearly $7-10 million annually - $7-10 million back for these businesses on this cost.

So Washington's driving costs up. Here in New York, we're trying to drive costs down and we need to make sure we address this. I have a plan. I've been negotiating, working hard and I really, truly hope to get this over the finish line just in a matter of days. And reminding everyone that when Florida passed similar laws, their insurance premiums dropped the first year and the second year and beyond. Some insurers slashed them even upward of 20 percent. So what happened the first year was a decrease of eight percent, the second year, seven percent, and those are my expectations.

So let me just wrap up by saying this: Washington has failed the business community. Here in New York, we believe in lifting up these hardworking entrepreneurs. People show up to places to work in this warehouse every single day. They deserve a shot. They deserve to have the promises that were made to them kept for them, and that's exactly what we're doing here in New York. And I want to thank Kamco for your support, your perseverance through these difficult times. And I want to know that you have friends in Albany. We want to make sure that you are successful - not just for the families that are supported by the jobs here and the thousands of people who benefit from all the hard work you're doing after these last 50 years of in the business - and let you know that whatever you need, we're going to make sure that we are vested in your success.

So with that, let me bring up Daniel O'Connor, the Chief Marketing Officer, and you can hear from his perspective what these costs are doing to great companies like Kamco.

Contact the Governor's Press Office