PEF President Wayne Spence released the following statement after attending Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address on Jan. 13, 2026, in Albany.
“The 55,000 professional, technical and scientific workers that comprise the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her continued focus on affordability in her 2026 State of the State address.
As the federal government pulls back on its commitment to providing health care and health insurance to low-income New Yorkers, cuts the supplemental nutritional assistance program (SNAP) for at-risk mothers and children and reduces financial support for public schools, we commend the Governor for outlining a bold path forward for our state and its residents.
The federal funding cuts come as PEF members and all New Yorkers see their insurance, grocery and housing costs continue to rise, tightening household budgets across the state.
Through her leadership, Governor Hochul has positioned the state’s finances so we can weather these devastating cuts and even look to expand some programs and services, like universal childcare, to help make life more affordable.
This year, PEF will advocate for our members who need and deserve a fair contract, and we will join with other unions in the fight to fix Tier 6 and reform the state’s pension plan so we can attract and retain the professionals the state needs. We will also continue pushing for commonsense regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It shows great promise, but left unregulated, it has the potential for great abuses. PEF members and other public servants make New York work. AI chat bots cannot be relied upon to help New Yorkers access the public benefits and services they need and deserve.
We look forward to reviewing the Governor’s Executive Budget and engaging with the Governor and members of the NYS Senate and Assembly as we work collectively to support PEF members who deliver healthcare services, protect New Yorkers against cyber threats, treat people with mental illness, rehabilitate incarcerated individuals, provide oversight for parolees, and process the state’s income taxes.”