Hochul seals cost-focused NY budget, pursues Trump showdown
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $268 billion New York state budget deal aimed at easing living costs, including a surcharge on luxury NYC homes and protections for undocumented immigrants to constrain President Trump’s deportation push; the agreement follows weeks of budget impasse and still hinges on finalizing education funding and pension costs, as Hochul seeks to demonstrate relief to voters ahead of reelection while facing Democratic-base demands and a potential clash with Washington.