Governor Hochul Announces Investments in Western New York and Highlights Affordability Agenda

Governor Kathy Hochul today rallied with New Yorkers in Buffalo to celebrate the passage of the FY 2027 Enacted Budget which includes a slate of wins for the region, including a historic $70 million in direct aid to the City of Buffalo and a $24 million investment in FeedMore WNY, a hunger-relief organization that provides nutritious food for food-insecure families.

"Buffalo is my home and I promised to always have my neighbors' backs," Governor Hochul said. "With this Budget, I am thrilled to announce a historic $70 million in direct aid to the City of Buffalo paired with major reforms that will put money back in families' pockets. I am especially proud that we are able to make a $24 million investment in FeedMore WNY that will provide more meals and services for community members in need. From universal childcare to ratepayer protection to auto insurance reform, we stood up to powerful special interests and got it done."

Focused on making New York a more affordable place to raise a family, the Governor also celebrated initiatives like the state's one-time $1 billion energy rebate program that will provide checks of up to $200 to 8.2 million households, her Ratepayer Protection Plan to mitigate rising utilities costs, auto insurance reforms to put money back in drivers' pockets, and the enactment of her "Let Them Build" agenda to make it easier for communities to build more housing and critical infrastructure - all with the goal of saving New Yorkers thousands in the coming year.

State Senator Jeremy Zellner said, "This budget delivers for Western New York at a time when the cost of living is still too high and families need real action, not talk. It makes targeted investments that will be felt directly in communities across the region. In my district, that means stronger support for the organizations and services people depend on every day. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership in getting this budget across the finish line."

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, "This year's state budget delivers meaningful investments that will make a real difference for Western New York families. From a historic $70 million commitment to the City of Buffalo and major support for FeedMore WNY to expanded childcare funding, infrastructure improvements, and direct affordability relief, this budget reflects our shared commitment to helping working families thrive. I thank Governor Hochul for partnering with us to secure these critical resources and investments for our community."

Assemblymember Karen McMahon said, "With historic investments in child care, FeedMore WNY, the Amherst cryogenics facility, and relief from rising utility costs, the FY 2027 State Budget delivers meaningful support for Western New York. These investments will help make Amherst and Williamsville more affordable while strengthening critical resources and services for families, seniors, and those most in need. I am proud to support a budget that works to make everyday life easier and more affordable for Western New Yorkers."

Assemblymember Patrick Burke said, "Working together, we made historic investments that will help Buffalo strengthen essential services, support working families and build a stronger future for our community."

City of Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said, "From day one, my administration has been open about the fiscal challenges facing Buffalo and the work we must do to put the City on a more sustainable path. This additional State support from Governor Hochul gives us the opportunity to strengthen our financial foundation, reduce reliance on uncertain revenues, and continue investing in the core services that our residents deserve. I want to thank the Governor and our State partners for their steadfast support of Buffalo as we work toward a stronger future for our city."

The FY 2027 Enacted Budget also secures $15 million in additional funding for the city of Buffalo to support closing budget gaps while minimizing the taxpayer burden and maintaining public safety through Temporary Municipal Assistance. Initially authorized in FY25 for two years, the program provides general purpose aid for local governments. This funding builds on the State's Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) program which provides state aid to cities, towns and villages outside of New York City.

The Budget also includes more than $139 million for local road and bridge projects in Western New York, including nearly $75 million in CHIPS Local Highway Aid funding. Demonstrating the Governor's commitment to improving public transit across the State, the Budget includes $95.4 million in operating assistance for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, a 7.2 percent increase from FY 26, as well as $26 million in capital funding to continue improvements to the Metro Rail system. The State also committed $5 million in capital funding for the Amherst Cryogenics Wastewater Plant for a system upgrade set to reduce energy costs by 72 percent.

Governor Hochul highlighted historic investments made in her FY27 Enacted Budget that go directly to making life in Western New York safer and more affordable for hard-working families to thrive:

• $24 million in capital funding for FeedMore WNY
• $20 million toward daycare networks in Western New York
• $2 million for maternal health initiatives
• $2 million for a new Fire Truck in the Town of Niagara

Delivers on Promise of Universal Childcare

The FY 2027 Budget sets New York on a bold path to universal childcare, bringing the total FY 2027 investment to $4.5 billion for childcare and pre-kindergarten services statewide. With these investments, the state will make Pre-K truly universal statewide and expand childcare subsidies to tens of thousands of additional families.

Governor Hochul has made it her mission to expand access to affordable childcare in New York State, ensuring parents are able to afford and are supported in the best state to raise a family. Under her leadership, the Governor doubled New York's investments in the state's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), helping eligible low- and middle-income families pay for childcare. Over the last four years, Governor Hochul has increased funding for childcare subsidies to Western New York by 155 percent, with the number of families enrolled more than doubling.

The FY 2027 Budget also launches an Office of Child Care and Early Education to steer the implementation of high-quality, universal childcare for New York families.

Support for Western New York Schools and Early Childhood Education

The Governor's FY27 Enacted Budget increases school aid for Western New York by $111 million - a 3.5 percent increase compared to School Year 2026 - bringing the total investment to $3.3 billion for School Year 2027. Included in the $111 million is an $80 million Foundation Aid increase - 3.6 percent from the previous year - with all districts receiving a minimum increase of 2 percent and a $33 million Universal Prekindergarten Aid increase. These efforts are putting New York on a path toward making Pre-K truly universal, and helping school districts offer services for all four-year-olds by the start of School Year 2029.

Includes $1 Billion in One-Time Energy Rebate Checks and Institutes Governor Hochul's Sweeping Ratepayer Protection Plan

With New Yorkers struggling with high energy costs and record gas prices at the pump thanks to bad federal policies, the new budget includes one-time $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) checks to help provide needed relief. The POWER program will provide $200 to joint filers with incomes under $150,000 and $150 to joint filers with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000. Single filers with incomes under $150,000 will receive $100. The rebates will be issued as advanced credit checks and will be mailed out between September and December.

This year's Enacted Budget also puts New York families ahead of big energy companies. At the heart of this effort to modernize the State's approach to regulating utilities is a commitment to ensuring energy remains affordable. Energy profits will be tied to a company's ability to perform where it matters most: people's wallets. Utilities will be prohibited from passing the costs of lobbying, glossy PR campaigns, political donations, and luxury travel to New York ratepayers. Utility CEOs will have their salaries benchmarked to achieving energy affordability goals set by the Public Service Commission (PSC). And if a utility makes excess profit, that money will be returned to ratepayers.

Secures Reforms To Lower Auto Insurance Premiums for New Yorkers

The FY27 Enacted Budget includes sweeping reforms designed to help drive down New York's exorbitantly high auto insurance rates, addressing the root causes by targeting fraud and tackling runaway litigation. No other Governor in a generation has taken on tort reform and walked away with a deal that will result in significant savings for New York consumers and businesses. The Budget also includes provisions that enable prosecutors to seek criminal penalties against any individual responsible for organizing a staged accident, not just the particular individual behind the wheel.

Delivers Reforms To Make It Easier and More Affordable To Build Housing and Critical Infrastructure

The Budget includes landmark reforms to slash through the red tape and government bureaucracy that has stymied desperately needed housing and crucial infrastructure projects by enacting Governor Hochul's "Let Them Build" agenda. The Budget includes a series of common sense changes to modernize the 50-year-old State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and expedite categories of housing and infrastructure projects consistently found not to have any significant environmental impact, eliminating unnecessary costs, duplicative reviews and years of delay that raise costs for New Yorkers when they can least afford it.