Wednesday’s Headlines: Hochul Has Her Say Edition

The State of the State is Mamdani.

That’s if you believe the headlines out of Albany after Gov. Hochul’s “State of the State” speech on Tuesday: “Hochul Promises More Affordable New York, Boosting Mamdani’s Pledge,” said The City. “Mr. Mamdani Goes to Albany, This Time as a Political Celebrity,” rang the Times.

It may have been the former Assembly member-turned-mayor’s big homecoming, but it was Gov. Hochul’s turf. The mayor jumped up to applaud her when she committed to expand childcare, but it wasn’t all roses for his agenda: Free buses did not make the speech, the content of which typically presages the substance of the governor’s forthcoming budget.

Streetsblog’s got you covered on every corner of the transportation pieces of Hochul’s 2026 agenda:

• Streetsblog Albany Bureau Chief Austin C. Jefferson reviewed the broad themes of Hochul’s speech, and reported on her vague words of support for the push to put speed limiter tech on the cars of the most dangerous drivers.
• Jefferson and Streetsblog Editor-in-Chief Gersh Kuntzman reported concerns from advocates about Hochul’s push to allow autonomous taxis on state streets.
• Nolan Hicks covered Hochul’s plan to expand the MTA’s SCOUT program.
• And Dave Colon wrote up Hochul’s plan to fund design and engineering for the next phase of the Second Avenue Subway.

More to come: Hochul also threw her lot in with an industry-backed push to lower auto insurance rates (by making it harder for victims to file claims), something Mamdani told reporters he was “excited” about. Stay tuned for our coverage.

In other news:

• President Trump threatened to cut all federal funding to “sanctuary cities” including New York City. Mayor Mamdani said he was “confident” in city’s “ability to fight those threats back.” (ABC 7 NY)
• Mamdani nominated MTA board member Midori Valdivia to run the Taxi and Limousine Commission. (Daily News, Gothamist, NY Times, CBS2, NYC Mayor’s Office via YouTube)
• The feds indicted a longtime aide to former Mayor Adams for an alleged NYCHA contractor shakedown. (The City)
• Council Speaker Julie Menin has started to announce her leadership team — Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams, Majority Leader Shaun Abreu and Finance Chair Linda Lee. (City & State)
• Meet Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar’s DSA-backed challenger. (Hell Gate)
• In other news: Staten Island won a toilet award. (Gothamist)
• Another raised crosswalk is coming to deadly Atlantic Avenue. (Lincoln Restler via X)
• Can the Nutmeg State reverse 100 years of car-first planning? (CT Monitor)