Cut Taxes for 80 Percent of Long Island Families, Lowest Level in 70 Years; Expanded Child Tax Credit To Support 215,000 Families on Long Island

Nearly 1.3 Million Long Island Households Will Benefit From Inflation Refund Checks; Up to $400 Back in Their Pockets

Long Island Districts To Receive More Than $270 Million in Additional School Aid

Governor Provides Record Funding for Environmental Protection, Flood Resilience and Clean Water on Long Island

Governor Kathy Hochul is celebrating a FY 2026 New York State Budget that delivers all of the Governor’s affordability commitments and will put thousands of dollars back in the pockets of millions of families on Long Island over the coming year and beyond. These huge wins include drastically expanding the size of New York’s Child Tax Credit, including tripling the credit for children four and under, cutting taxes for 1.2 million middle class Long Islanders, and sending inflation refund checks directly to 1.3 million households on Long Island.

“The cost of living is too damn high for Long Island families, so I promised to put more money in your pockets — and we got it done,” Governor Hochul said.“Putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of families means helping Long Islanders afford the rising costs of groceries, raising kids, and just enjoying life. When I said your family is my fight, I meant it – and I’ll never stop fighting for you.”

The Governor’s FY 2026 Enacted Budget totals $254 billion and does not raise income taxes — all while delivering nearly $4 billion in affordability relief statewide. On Long Island, that means direct benefits for hundreds of thousands of families, workers, and students.

The cost of living is too damn high for Long Island families, so I promised to put more money in your pockets - and we got it done." - Governor Kathy Hochul

Expanding New York’s Child Tax Credit
The FY 2026 State Budget includes Governor Hochul’s plan to give 215,000 Long Island families an annual tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under age four and up to $500 per child from four through sixteen. This is the largest expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit in its history — benefitting approximately 355,000 children on Long Island. Governor Hochul’s expansion of the credit will significantly increase the size of the average credit going out to families, helping cut child poverty statewide by upward of 8 percent.