Monday, February 10, 2025
State Sen. Steve Rhoads, of Bellmore, took his oath of office at the New York State Capitol in Albany on Jan. 8, when he was sworn in to represent the 5th Senate District for a second term.
Rhoads, representing the communities of Wantagh, Seaford, Levittown, Merrick, Bellmore and East Meadow, expressed a dedication to making New York an affordable and safe state to live in.
“Right now, whether it’s our seniors, young people — everyone seems to have their New York exit plan,” Rhoads, a Republican, told the Herald in a roundtable interview in October. “As a state government, as long as we continue to make New York state unaffordable and uncompetitive for businesses and for residents, we’re going to continue to suffer — and that has to change.”
He was reelected after defeating his democratic opponent Lisa Lin in the November election last year.
Rhoads said he wants to continue to address the needs of district residents, ensuring their concerns are heard all the way up to Albany. Two days after taking his oath, his office announced the return of the mobile office hours program, where Rhoads engages in one-on-one conversations with residents at libraries throughout the district. During the past two years, Rhoads hosted more than a dozen mobile office hour sessions, speaking with residents about issues that matter most to them.
“From tackling issues from affordability to public safety and everything in between, I believe in transparency and open communication,” Rhoads said in a news release, “and it’s this connection to the community that truly drives my fight for common sense in Albany.”
According to his office, the senator will continue to “prioritize common sense” and build a better future for all New Yorkers. In Albany on Jan. 13, Senate Republicans joined Rhoads in unveiling the “Liberate New York” legislative agenda for 2025, prioritizing affordability and creating safer and healthier neighborhoods in the state. It proposes cutting taxes for residents and small businesses, reducing housing costs, and repealing congestion pricing. To enhance public safety, the agenda aims to reverse criminal justice reforms, prioritize victims over criminals, and combat hate crimes.
“It’s time to liberate New York and build a better, safer, healthier, and more affordable tomorrow for all New Yorkers,” Rhoads said.
The agenda also focuses on ending the migrant crisis by opposing “sanctuary status” and prohibiting taxpayer funds from benefiting undocumented migrants. Additionally, they advocate for protecting parental rights in education and implementing term limits to promote government transparency and fiscal responsibility.
Senate Republican leader Rob Ortt joined Rhoads and other colleagues in calling for a renewed focus on addressing the state’s affordability crisis and public safety concerns. Citing what he described as the detrimental impact of policies such as congestion pricing and unfunded mandates, Ortt criticized the current administration’s priorities.
“From endless taxes and migrant spending to out-of-touch energy mandates, we’ve seen Democrat-driven policies prioritize political agendas over the needs of hardworking New Yorkers,” Ortt said. “These policies have led to affordability challenges, public safety concerns, and economic struggles across urban and rural communities alike.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul has outlined her own measures to provide relief to New Yorkers.
During her State of the State address on Jan. 14, Hochul proposed a middle-class tax cut to bring around $1 billion in tax relief to more than 8 million taxpayers in the state. According to her office, cutting the rates across five of the state’s nine tax brackets would bring rates down to their lowest levels in 70 years.
“Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can afford to put food on the table because of the rising cost of groceries,” Hochul said in a news release. “Making New York more affordable has been one of my top priorities, and to continue this commitment, I am proposing a substantial tax cut for middle class New Yorkers to lighten the burdens of inflation.”
Hochul also has introduced the first-ever inflation refund, designed to return $3 billion to 8.6 million taxpayers by the end of 2025. Under this initiative, joint filers earning $300,000 or less will receive $500, while single filers earning $150,000 or less will receive $300.
In addition, she proposed an expansion of the child tax credit, which will double or triple benefits for many families, according to the governor’s office. The plan offers up to $1,000 annually per child under 4 years old and up to $500 for older children. Hochul’s office claims these measures are expected to reduce child poverty by 17.7 percent and provide critical relief for middle-class families.
Additional reporting by Jordan Vallone
