See, it could be worse!
Gov. Kathy Hochul once again stepped in it this week, giving a baffling response to gubernatorial rival Rep. Elise Stefanik’s attack that New York is the “most unaffordable state in the nation.”
The governor’s campaign pointed to a US News & World Report ranking that showed New York is the 45th most affordable state in the nation, not the “least,” as the Republican congresswoman claimed in Politico on Monday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul gave a baffling response to gubernatorial rival Rep. Elise Stefanik’s attack that New York is the “most unaffordable state in the nation.” Matt Roberts/Shutterstock
“Kathy Hochul’s biggest accomplishment is earning the title of the Worst Governor in America who has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, energy and utility prices,” Stefanik said in a statement to Politico’s Playbook.
The Democratic incumbent’s camp bizarrely attempted to refute the claim by pointing Politico to the US News & World Report list that ranked New York effectively the 6th least affordable state in the nation.
“As usual, Elise Stefanik is full of s–t — this time to cover up her ‘deciding vote’ for Trump’s cost-raising agenda, her votes to cut police funding, and her greenlighting Trump’s expensive tariffs that are squeezing small businesses and making everything cost more for hardworking New Yorkers,” Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said in a statement Tuesday.
Hochul, asked at an unrelated press conference to name her proudest accomplishment as governor, touted her administration’s work in improving the economy and bringing down crime rates after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think the whole system of trying to stabilize this state in the aftermath of the pandemic and declare success now, I’m really proud of that,” she said.
“As usual, Elise Stefanik is full of s–t,” Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said in a statement Tuesday. AP
As part of its analysis, US News and World Report broke down affordability into several sub-categories, most of which the Empire State also lagged behind in.
New York was ranked 49th in opportunity, 34th in infrastructure, and toward the middle of the pack, at 24th, in crime and corrections.
But the state landed in the top 10 on fiscal stability, natural environment and healthcare.
California took the title of least affordable, with New Jersey, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Washington beating New York in the race to the bottom.
“Kathy Hochul’s tax-and-spend agenda has made New York the highest taxed and regulated state in the nation with the highest levels of population loss,” Stefanik said in a statement to The Post on Tuesday.
“New Yorkers simply can’t afford Hochul—yet her best line of defense is to highlight how unaffordable New York is under her failed leadership,” she said. “Next year, New Yorkers will fire the Worst Governor in America to save our state from Hochul’s unaffordable taxes, rent, energy costs, and groceries bills.”