US News Metro Long Island Politics

Sports NFL MLB Olympics NBA NHL College Football College Basketball WNBA

Business Personal Finance

Entertainment TV Movies Music Celebrities Awards Theater

Lifestyle Weird But True Sex & Relationships Viral Trends Human Interest Parenting Fashion & Beauty Food & Drink Travel

Health Wellness Fitness Health Care Medicine Men’s Health Women’s Health Mental Health Nutrition

Science Space Environment Wildlife Archaeology

Today’s Paper Covers Columnists Horoscopes Crosswords & Games Sports Odds Podcasts Careers

Email Newsletters Official Store Home Delivery Tips

Switch between CA and NY editions here.

Hochul’s idea of ‘affordability’ is bloating pensions and driving property taxes sky-high

Watch out: Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to send your property taxes soaring.

Sure she’s vowed not to raise taxes, as she runs for re-election talking “affordability.”

But she evidently thinks New Yorkers won’t connect the dots if she forces local governments to hike taxes.

Here’s the tell: At a union rally Sunday, the gov promised teachers and other public-sector employees she is “fighting for a fairer pension plan.”  

She and they both know exactly what that means, since the unions have launched a full-court press to roll back reforms that have managed to slow taxpayers’ spiraling costs for public pensions.

The pretense is that rules passed more than a decade ago under Govs. David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo are somehow crippling New York governments, as newer hires (Tier 5 and 6 employees) don’t get as obscenely sweet a deal as older ones.

More From Post Editorial Board

What Iranians are saying, time to restock US munitions and other commentary

What the oil-price panic really tells you about our leaders

Mamdani must do a lot more than ‘condemn violence’ after ISIS bombs fly in NYC

Yet even recent hires get far better deals than most private-sector folks.

As the Manhattan Institute’s Ken Girardin notes, New York’s public employees, unlike 86% of those in the private sector, get fixed benefits when they retire — and benefits guaranteed by taxpayers.

If Hochul were truly fighting for “fairer” plans, she’d push to remove perks that government employees vastly better benefits than everyone else’s.

Zohran Mamdani’s tax hike crusade is already hurting NYC economy, business leader warns

That would dramatically lower costs for New York taxpayers, a real boon to fairness and “affordability.”

The unions are powerful, you see, a key source of political donations and campaign organizing: That’s why New York Republicans aren’t sounding alarms over this cash-grab.

Again, nothing is fair about ditching these reforms, particular one requiring employees to contribute up to 6% of their pay toward their pension plans.

The unions are also demanding rules to let their members retire with full benefits at 55 instead of 63.

Never mind the pricey rollbacks and sweeteners the unions have already won under Hochul.

Yet it seems she’ll keep on doing their bidding, using taxpayer dollars: Girardin cites a jaw-dropping $100 billion cost spike ($20,000 per New York family) if Hochul goes along, a hit that goes directly on taxpayers, mostly through local property-tax hikes.

Think Mayor Zohran Mandani’s 9.5% property-tax hike will be painful? Just wait until local governments have to come up with extra cash for Hochul’s union bribes.

Worse, the rollbacks would put the state back on the unsustainable path that Paterson and Cuomo rescued it from, when pension costs rose a stunning ten-fold, from $1 billion in 2000 to $10 billion just 10 years later — sending property taxes through the roof.

Oh, and once employees get those better plans, no one — per the state Constitution — can ever reduce them.

New Yorkers will be suffering for decades.

Hochul must have her fingers crossed behind her back every time she says “affordability.”

Rich Lowry Mamdani gets mugged by reality — after ISIS bombers target NYC

Mamdani gets mugged by reality — after ISIS bombers target NYC

Cindy Adams The end may be near — even California Democrats are tired of Newsom

The end may be near — even California Democrats are tired of Newsom

Miranda Devine Mamdani's putrid response as ISIS sympathizers attacked NYC with bombs

Mamdani's putrid response as ISIS sympathizers attacked NYC with bombs

Front Cover Back Cover

Trending Now on NYPost.com

This story has been shared 81,302 times. 81,302 Ohio State president resigns after revealing 'inappropriate relationship' with a woman

Ohio State president resigns after revealing 'inappropriate relationship' with a woman

This story has been shared 35,149 times. 35,149 Real estate brokers-to-the-stars convicted of sex trafficking after twisted testimony describing rapes, drugging

Real estate brokers-to-the-stars convicted of sex trafficking after twisted testimony describing rapes, drugging

This story has been shared 20,682 times. 20,682 Wife of teacher killed in prank gone wrong makes astonishingly generous call after teens arrested

Wife of teacher killed in prank gone wrong makes astonishingly generous call after teens arrested

Lauren Sánchez Bezos' pal called her Monica because she had the hots for Bill Clinton: lawsuit

Ohio State president resigns after revealing 'inappropriate relationship' with a woman

Sections & Features US News Metro World News Sports Sports Betting Business Opinion Entertainment Fashion & Beauty Shopping Lifestyle Real Estate Media Tech Science Health Travel Astrology Video Photos Alexa Covers Horoscopes Sports Odds Podcasts Crosswords & Games Columnists Classifieds

Post Sports+ Subscribe Articles Manage

Newsletters & Feeds Email Newsletters RSS Feeds NY Post Official Store Home Delivery Subscribe Manage Subscription Delivery Help

NY Post Official Store

Home Delivery Subscribe Manage Subscription

Help/Support About New York Post Editorial Standards New York Post Awards & Recognition Customer Service Apps Help Community Guidelines Contact Us Tips Newsroom Letters to the Editor Licensing & Reprints Careers Vulnerability Disclosure Program

New York Post Awards & Recognition

Contact Us Tips Newsroom Letters to the Editor Licensing & Reprints Careers Vulnerability Disclosure Program

Letters to the Editor

Vulnerability Disclosure Program

Apps iPhone App iPad App Android Phone Android Tablet

Advertise Media Kit Contact

© New York Post