Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate for governor, has unveiled a strategy aimed at enhancing safety and affordability in New York.
Currently serving as Nassau County Executive and the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, Blakeman detailed his vision for his initial 100 days in office to The Post, outlining his approach to governing the Empire State.
“New Yorkers are being driven out of their homes by a governor who views their earnings as her personal fund,” Blakeman remarked, taking aim at Democratic Governor Hochul.
Central to Blakeman’s forthcoming plan is revoking New York’s designation as a “sanctuary state” for undocumented migrants. He also intends to cut state funding to New York City if it persists with its stringent sanctuary policies.
“I refuse to allocate billions to New York City to cover their budget gap, especially when they squander funds on non-residents,” Blakeman, 70, stated emphatically.
Blakeman criticized Hochul for her decision to contribute $1.5 billion to the city’s effort to address its sizable $5.4 billion budget deficit.
Blakeman calls his plan “The Affordability Mandate,” and says it will provide “historic” financial relief for one of the highest-taxed states in the nation.
It includes across-the-board, 10% income-tax cuts for people earning under $250,000; and eliminating all state income tax on the first $50,000 earned annually for single filers and $100,000 for joint filers.
A couple earning $250,000 would see their yearly state taxes drop from $13,000 to $6,000, while a single person making $100,000 would pay $2,000 instead of $5,000, the pol said.
“Kathy Hochul’s record-high taxes are driving New Yorkers to flee for states like Florida and Texas just to survive,” he said. “We simply can’t afford not to cut taxes.”
He also vows to repeal Hochul’s congestion tolling scheme to enter parts of Manhattan.
Blakeman will take aim at lowering utility bills too. He proposes returning $2.4 billion in unspent New York State Energy Research and Development Authority funds allocated for “green energy” mandates to ratepayers.
“New Yorkers are being crushed by utility bills 50% higher than the national average because of Kathy Hochul’s hidden taxes and green mandates,” he said “We’ll end Hochul’s expensive energy experiments and pivot to reliable natural gas and nuclear power.”
On public safety, Blakeman said he’d work with the state Legislature during the budget process to kill cashless bail laws that critics say keeps criminals on the streets.
He also wants to boost funding for local police departments, so they can hire more cops and bolster crime-fighting technology. He helped fund the hiring of 600 additional cops in Nassau since becoming county executive in 2022.
“Unlike the current administration, I will actually back our blue line and give them the tools to keep our streets safe,” he said. “I will restore law and order.”
Hochul’s campaign spokesman Ryan Radulovacki said New Yorkers shouldn’t bank on Blakeman.
“We know ‘100% MAGA’ Bruce Blakeman has a problem with the truth, but here’s what his first 100 days as governor would actually look like: jacking up costs and raising taxes like he did in Nassau, letting ICE abuse their power across New York, and gutting Medicaid — just like Donald Trump,” he predicted.
