STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado criticized state leadership on economic inequality, housing, immigration enforcement and climate policy Monday during a town hall with Staten Island residents in Port Richmond.
Speaking to about 30 people at Oda Café, Delgado framed the event as part of a broader effort to challenge what he described as entrenched political and economic interests in Albany. Delgado, who is mounting a primary challenge to Gov. Kathy Hochul, said state government has failed to adequately support working-class New Yorkers.
“Everywhere I go — upstate, downstate, urban, rural — people are struggling,” Delgado said. “We have the third-largest economy in the country, yet the largest wealth inequality gap of any state. The question is: where is all the money going?”
Delgado blamed corporate subsidies, tax abatements and what he called outsized influence from special interests for diverting resources away from housing, health care and child care. He said one in five New York children lives in poverty and many workers struggle to afford basic necessities.
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado didn’t hold back on economic inequality, housing affordability and immigration enforcement in New York during a town hall Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 at Oda Café in Port Richmond.(Advance/SILive.com | Scott R. Axelrod)
On housing, Delgado called for increased investment in public housing, expanded assistance for first-time homebuyers and statewide rent stabilization. He criticized tax incentives for developers, saying they have not addressed affordability, and said seven in 10 New Yorkers would qualify for federal housing assistance but do not receive it.
Delgado also reiterated his support for the New York Health Act, a proposed single-payer health care system. He said the plan would eliminate premiums, deductibles and co-pays while saving the state billions of dollars annually, though it has faced opposition from insurers and hospital groups.
During the question-and-answer portion of the event, the discussion shifted to immigration enforcement. One attendee cited recent arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in St. George, Stapleton and Port Richmond, saying families were “living in fear.”
Delgado said the state must do more to protect immigrant communities by passing the New York for All Act, legislation that would further limit cooperation between local agencies and ICE. He said the state’s current policies do not go far enough and that informal information-sharing continues to put residents at risk.
“We need clear lines in the sand,” Delgado said. “If we don’t ban information-sharing outright, communities will remain vulnerable.”
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado didn’t hold back on economic inequality, housing affordability and immigration enforcement in New York during a town hall Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 at Oda Café in Port Richmond.(Advance/SILive.com | Scott R. Axelrod)
Residents also raised concerns about proposed battery energy storage facilities on Staten Island. Delgado said he supports a moratorium on such projects until their benefits to the public and environmental impacts are fully assessed, adding that communities deserve transparency and meaningful input.
On climate and energy policy, Delgado criticized the Hochul administration for approving permits for fossil fuel infrastructure and revisiting nuclear energy options. He said the state should instead fully implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and expand renewable energy investment through the Public Renewables Act.
“The role of government is sometimes to say ‘no,’” Delgado said. “We don’t need new fossil fuel pipelines or costly nuclear projects when we already have the tools to build a renewable future.”
Delgado also called for reforms to the state’s Tier 6 pension system for public employees, saying it undermines recruitment and fairness. He questioned the effectiveness of billions of dollars in annual corporate subsidies, which he said provide little return for local communities.
As the evening wound down, Delgado emphasized that his campaign is funded through New York’s public matching system, which he said allows him to operate independently of major donors.
“The point is not to survive in politics,” Delgado said. “It’s to govern with moral courage and actually deliver for the people.”
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado didn’t hold back on economic inequality, housing affordability and immigration enforcement in New York during a town hall Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 at Oda Café in Port Richmond.(Advance/SILive.com | Scott R. Axelrod)