ALBANY — Nassau County Executive and GOP governor candidate Bruce Blakeman called Kathy Hochul’s pleading with the rich to come home to New York the “most honest moment of her administration” while he hit her with a brutal reality check – telling the gov it’s a tough sell to get anyone to ditch Palm Beach’s “sunshine, no state income and tax and sanity.”

Hochul has been was raked over the coals over the remarks after pushing back on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s calls to “tax the rich” where she said that wealthy New Yorkers willing to pay more taxes should get their rich pals back too.

“Maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded,” Hochul, who is up for reelection and is set to square off against Blakeman in November up for reelection this year, said at a forum hosted by Politico last week.

Bruce Blakeman hammered Hochul on her attempt to lure rich New Yorkers back. Dennis A. Clark for NY Post

“Kathy Hochul finally discovered what New Yorkers already know. When you raise taxes, drive up the cost of living, make it harder to do business, and try to destroy families’ savings, people leave.” Blakeman said in a statement.

“Palm Beach is lovely this time of year, but I’m not sure former New Yorkers will be eager to trade sunshine, no state income tax, and sanity for the highest taxes in the nation under Kathy Hochul,” Blakeman continued.

“That’s a tough sell,” he added.

But Blakeman isn’t the only one knocking the gov.

“Can Republicans come back? Asking for the hundreds of thousands who bolted New York because of your high taxes and love for illegal immigrants,” state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R-Niagara) posted on X Wednesday.

Gov. Hochul has taken a step back on Mayor Mamdani’s “tax the rich” policies. AFP via Getty Images

“One New Yorker leaves every 2 minutes and 23 seconds. That’s not just a number—it’s a wake-up call for Albany. New Yorkers deserve better,” state Sen. Steve Rhoads added in a post.

The criticism hasn’t just been limited to Hochul’s political foes either.

Mike Simas, president and CEO of the Florida Council of 100 — a non-profit centered around attracting business and individuals to the Sunshine State — said New York’s tax code is just too unfriendly and cost-of-living too high.

At a forum hosted by Politico, Hochul stated, “Maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded.” Hans Pennink for NY Post

“I think we’ve positioned ourselves really competitively, and we expect the migration to Florida to continue and in fact increase,” Simas, a previous executive vice president of the powerful Partnership for New York City, said.

Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy also evidently struck a nerve with Hochul’s camp, calling it “unbelievable arrogance and hypocrisy” to ask wealthy New Yorkers to return home.

Along with Blakeman, Hochul has been called out on her recent statements, including Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy, who claims Hochul’s approach is seen with “unbelievable arrogance and hypocrisy.” Dennis A. Clark for NY Post

Hochul has faced immense political pressure from the left wing of her party to hike income and corporate taxes in order to pay for billions in spending sought by Mamdani  — including subsidizing bus rides and providing free childcare.

Mamdani has also floated the city’s roughly $5 billion projected budget gap as a means to demand a bail out from Hochul through hiking income taxes 2% on New Yorkers making more than $1 million.

Hochul reiterated Wednesday that Mamdani and the New York City Council need to find ways to find savings to close the gap.

She’s already proposed picking up $1.5 billion of spending on city programs for two years on top of billions of dollars of new childcare funding.

A Hochul spokesperson brushed aside criticism.

“Governor Hochul is lowering costs, putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, and fighting to make New York more affordable – Bruce Blakeman spends his time sucking up to Mar-a-Lago and backing Trump’s illegal, expensive tariffs that are squeezing New York families,” spokesperson Ryan Radulavacki wrote in a statement to The Post.