Proven Leadership. Competent Government. Delivering for New York.
On the Issues:
Creating a Strong Middle Class
Governor Cuomo knows that the American Dream depends on economic mobility and a strong middle class. During his time in office, Governor Cuomo took aggressive action to change a largely flat, regressive income tax into a fairer tax system by adding additional brackets, and lowering taxes for everyone making under $1 million/year, while also enacting a permanent property tax cap for homeowners. Under his administration, New York created more private sector jobs than at any point in history.
Combatting Income Inequality
Governor Cuomo spent a lifetime in public service fighting to give all New Yorkers the opportunity to succeed. He successfully secured New York’s groundbreaking $15 minimum wage, enacting critical labor protections for New York’s workers, passing the largest affordable housing and anti-homelessness program in state history, expanding the child care tax credit for working families, and passing the first in the nation plan to provide free college for New York students.
Building a New New York
To grow New York’s competitiveness in the 21st century global economy, Governor Cuomo prioritized building today for a better tomorrow. Under his leadership, and with the support of the men and women of organized labor, New York advanced a nation-leading $100 billion infrastructure program to rebuild roads, bridges, tunnels and airports, make historic investments in public transportation, and establish universal access to high speed broadband. His accomplishments include the new LaGuardia and JFK airports, Penn and Moynihan train halls, East Side Access, the expansion of the Second Avenue Subway, and the new Mario M. Cuomo and Kosciuszko bridges. He did this while standing shoulder to shoulder with the labor movement, having enacted the landmark "Buy American" Law to prioritize American-made materials in state-funded initiatives, and ensuring Project Labor Agreements (PLA's) were used in major public works projects.
Gun Violence Prevention
Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary school, Governor Cuomo passed the SAFE Act — the toughest and smartest gun safety program in the nation that stops criminals and the dangerously mentally ill from buying a gun by requiring universal background checks on gun purchases, increased penalties for people who use illegal guns, mandates life in prison without parole for anyone who murders a first responder, and imposed the toughest assault weapons ban in the country. He then went further, enacting the Red Flag law, passing legislation that removes guns from domestic abusers, banning the manufacture and sale of 3D-printed guns, and requiring safe storage of firearms when kids younger than 16 live in a gun owner's house. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, a multi-state coalition was formed to share research and data to help stop gun trafficking and keep New Yorkers safer.
Gender Equality
Governor Cuomo knows that when women succeed, New York succeeds. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York codified Roe v Wade protections into state law, passed the most comprehensive paid family leave program in the nation, launched the nation’s most aggressive public university sexual assault policy, achieved the smallest wage gap in the country, mandated insurance coverage for medically necessary IVF procedures, legalized surrogacy, and ensured that contraceptive coverage is protected regardless of what happens in Washington. Governor Cuomo outlawed gender-based pricing discrimination on products marketed for women vs. men, also known as the "pink tax."
Educational Opportunity for All
From pre-kindergarten to college, Governor Cuomo is committed to providing the nation’s best educational opportunities to all New Yorkers. The Governor increased education funding to record highs, fought for funding equity in education, expanded full-day pre-k, launched New York’s first 3-year-old pre-k program, expanded community school programs, and passed the groundbreaking Excelsior Scholarship, a first-in-the-nation program to provide cost-free tuition at New York’s public colleges and universities. He puts students first and works to ensure that all New Yorkers are empowered to achieve their dreams.
LGBTQ+ Community
Pride was born at the Stonewall Inn in New York, and Governor Cuomo is a tireless fighter for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Under the Governor’s leadership, New York made history, becoming the first large state to pass marriage equality and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or transgender status. He also banned conversation therapy, legalized paid surrogacy in New York Stste and led the fight to end the AIDS epidemic. Under that initiative the percentage of new HIV diagnoses decreased by 11% in 2018 alone.
A Healthier New York
Governor Cuomo believes health care is a right, not a luxury, and has fought to expand quality and affordable health care for more New Yorkers. From redesigning Medicaid to reduce costs and improve care, to embracing the Affordable Care Act, and adding more than 1 million previously uninsured New Yorkers to health insurance plans through the state’s marketplace, Governor Cuomo strengthened New York’s health care system and set an example for other states to follow. He raised the smoking age to 21, and fought to combat the opioid epidemic, making record investments in treatment services and increasing access to life-saving Naloxone.
Protecting New York’s Environment
Governor Cuomo has taken decisive action to lead the fight against climate change, create the clean energy jobs of tomorrow, and protect our environment for generations to come. By making record investments in conservation, clean water, and renewable energy like offshore wind and solar and by standing up to Washington’s proposal to drill off New York’s coast, Governor Cuomo picked up the mantle of climate leadership where Washington had been failing. He signed the nation’s leading climate change law in 2019, invested $900 million in improving state park infrastructure and amenities, leading to record park attendance, and acquired more than 150,000 acres of protected forest, wilderness and park land. In 2020, Governor Cuomo banned the use of Styrofoam and passed a $3 billion environmental bond act to fund critical environmental restoration and climate mitigation projects. He has passed the strongest environmental protection legislation in the country, including a ban on hydraulic fracturing and the most progressive clean energy standards in the nation.
Civil Rights and Criminal Justice Reform
New York was founded on the values of equality, justice and tolerance, and Governor Cuomo successfully fought to uphold that legacy. He established the Liberty Defense Project to assist immigrants threatened by intimidating policies, made history by creating the Office for New Americans as the first statutorily created immigrant services office and passed the Senator José Peralta DREAM Act. Additionally, he reformed an antiquated criminal justice system by raising the age of criminal responsibility to 18, implemented discovery reforms, and launched innovative re-entry programs to ensure a lower recidivism rate and fairness for all New Yorkers.