Kathy Hochul Gives Her First State of the State Speech

The tax cut, which will permanently lower the personal income tax rates for some workers, would now go into effect in 2023, the earliest year possible.

She also sought to help the hospitality industry by pushing to legalize the sale of to-go drinks for bars and restaurants, codifying a popular program that had been allowed for 15 months during the pandemic. The temporary program ended in June. Several other states, including Iowa and Arizona, have legalized the sale of takeout alcohol during the pandemic.

“Cheers, New York,” the governor said.

Ms. Hochul delivered her speech beneath the coffered wood ceilings of the State Assembly, known as “the People’s House,” for the first time in a decade, restoring a longtime tradition. She vowed to repair the fractured relationship between the governor’s office and state legislators, whom Mr. Cuomo battled with incessantly and whom Ms. Hochul will need to work with to achieve many of her priorities.

But the pomp and circumstance of the occasion was tinged with decidedly 2022 touches: Masks, testing requirements, and attendance limits that meant many lawmakers watched remotely. Indeed, the Assembly speaker, Carl E. Heastie, was absent, having tested positive for Covid earlier on Wednesday.

The speech took place amid another brutal wave of the virus, with the Omicron variant causing tens of thousands of new cases each day — more than at any prior point in the pandemic. Despite efforts on testing and vaccination, the skyrocketing case numbers have caused a renewed debate about keeping schools open, which has been a priority for Ms. Hochul.

Reporting was contributed by Jonah E. Bromwich, Matthew Haag, Nicole Hong, Andy Newman and Mihir Zaveri.