Gov. Kathy Hochul acknowledged New Yorkers’ frustration with financial challenges when she called the Empire State’s cost of living, “just too damn high.” 

The governor has made putting money back into the wallets of hard-working families a top priority in 2025 through a range of initiatives, including a proposed “inflation refund” — a one-time sales tax rebate. To help to provide long-term relief, Albany may consider digging a little deeper to address the systemic problems that drive and create the affordability crisis — especially for New Yorkers of color, who are disproportionately impacted by the State’s high cost of living. 

A prime example of this disparity is insurance. New York drivers 

© The Leader