Different uses of the program. One of them is controversial, outsourcing. [applause] thank you and please be seated. Welcome the to president of Colgate Rochester divinity school, who will deliver a blessing, and rabbi angela who will deliver our invocation. Shall we pray. God, we acknowledge you as the sovereign lord of all creation from everlasting to everlasting and from sea to shining sea. You are our god. Hear aboutoday to conditions in our empire state. We come from crowded cities and snowcovered fields. We come from places of great wealth and places of painful poverty. We come bearing the faces of every nation and every culture of the world. We are in this place, the descendents of the mayflower, whothe offspring of those survived slave ships and auction blocks. We are millionaires and migrant workers. ,e are farmers, entrepreneurs educators, public servants, First Responders. But we are here because we love new york. We come at a time when our nation is badly divided on matters of politics and policies , personalities and partisan practices. God, make us more than democrats, republicans, independents. Make us americans. And new yorkers. We are deeply committed to the strength of our nation and the wellbeing of our fellow citizens. Hope in our hearts to hear what. Ur governor has to say today may he present this assembly with great visions of a state where opportunities and prosperity are available to all who invest their highest hopes. Nd best efforts they speak to us of jobs and justice. The economy and the environment. Infrastructure and intellectual property rights. Let all those who served in government be informed by the words of the biblical king david. He that realists over me he th over me, may he be just with fear of god. , every countyil legislator, every school board, judicial office, Citizens Commission and committee. And today, for governor andrew cuomo. Tears. Our silent thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by lightght lead us into the , keep us forever in the past in the path. Lest our feet stray from the drunkom where god with the wind of the world, we forget the. Shadows beneath thy hand, may week forever stand true to our god. True to our native land. Amen. [applause] may the one who blessed our Founding Fathers and foremothers bless our governor and this legislative body entrusted with the sacred task of leading this great state of new york. I was born in south korea. I was raised in tacoma, washington. But new york is the home that i chose, because new york is a gateway to america for millions of immigrants, including my family. Because in new york, the American Dream can still come true. Because in new york, we know what is right and we never take no for an answer. Yorker proud to be a new. We cannot forget it has been courageous and visionary elected leaders in partnership with engaged citizens who have helped to make the values of this great state the law of the land. I witnessed this firsthand this communitymy faith felt outraged by the fact that new york was one of only host states that still treated 16 and 17yearolds as adults in our criminal justice system. I have a 17yearold and he is still a kid. We invited Governor Cuomo into our sanctuary, filled with 1000 people of different faiths and moral conscience, to raise the age of criminal responsibility. And the governor knew what was right, and the congregation that was gathered would not take no for an answer. We were all guided by a politics that has made new york great. A politics of compassion, a politics of second chances. A politics of equal opportunities, of realizing the potential of every human being. You, ourelected elected officials, responded. Not just in raising the age of criminal responsibility, but providing free tuition to instate universities for the middle class, raising the minimum wage, providing paid family leave, a defense fund for immigrants, detecting our environment. Our is what can happen if elected leaders respond to the greatest calling of your work. May god strengthen the resolve of our governor and this legislative body to resist the politics of partisanship and polarization and strengthen us as citizens of new york, not to give into the fashion of cynicism, meanness, or despair. Governing has been and continue to be a sacred tool for crucial change in the common good. So may god inspire you, our leaders, to rise to that highest calling. To fight the injustices that persist and kurt us all. To create opportunities for every new yorker and remind us that the truest leadership is compassionate and for the betterment of all citizens. May it be so, amen. [applause] thank you both. I would ask that everyone please rise as we welcome the color guard and the acquired from albany high school. From albany high school. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. See, by thecan you dawns early light . What so proudly we hail at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight over the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming glare,he rockets red the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh, say does that wave angled banner yet free the land of the home of the brave [applause] please be seated. Official event, please join me in recognizing the other legislative leaders in attendance. The majority leader of the new york state assembly, joseph. Arelli [applause] is the majority leader present . Organized and prepared to receive the state of the state address. I also recognize the deputy majority leader, john defrancisco. [applause] , is hemajority leader present . Also present and ready to receive the state of the state. I would like to acknowledge our distinguished guests. Please hold your applause until the end. We have the former governor of the state of new york, david paterson. [applause] i will grant you that one. The former comptroller and chair of the zone of trustees, carl mccall. Congressman jerry adler, congressman sean patrick , mayors andce may local leaders from towns and cities across the state, including our bigcity mayors from east to west. Buffalo mayor, brian brown. The syracuse mayor, ben walsh. Kathy sheehan, mike spano. We are joined by our county executives, from my hometown all the way to suffolk. Latimer. Ns, george [applause] i would also like to recognize congratulations on your reelection. [applause] there was a cold inauguration, but i will let it slide. I would like them to stand and be recognized. Applause i would like to welcome the men and women who also keep us safe, led by Police Commissioners and superintendents here today, including commissioner james o monahan, and john village. Andrintendent george beach self look county sheriff please stand and be recognized. I would like to recognize some of the youngest new yorkers in the room. Please welcome more than 300 Public School students from grades six to 12 have joined us from every region of the state. Please stand and recognize [cheers and applause] i would also like to recognize a few members of the cuomo family who have joined us. , laurawelcome sandra lee kennedy cuomo, Michaela Kennedy , matilda cuomo, first lady. [applause] thank you for joining us. Im a little clumsy today because ive cut too many ribbons, and ive also skip the page where we recognize the county executives and borough president. From my home county in theory to suffolk county, laura kern has joined us today and latimer. Now the moment youve all been waiting for. The 2018 state of the state address. Toase give a warm welcome the governor of the state of new york, andrew cuomo. [applause] gov. Cuomo thank you all very much. Thank you very much. Welcome to albany. Happy new year to all, and may it be a new a great one for all of us. First to the reverend and the rabbi, i thought they were extraordinary in their blessings and invocation. Lets give them a round of applause. [applause] i would like to acknowledge my partners in progress, here with me on the stage. Kathy lets thank her for a wonderful job. New york state consultant thomas ericoli, attorney general schneiderman, Senate Majority leader john flanagan, the speaker andrea stewart. Ousins, brian paul we have with us our court of appeals, judges, and their great chief judge janet lets give them a round of applause. Unhappy, that they are the judges. By protocol, they dont applaud for anything. I didnt realize that the first couple years but i now get it. Lets give them another round of applause for not applauding for anything. [applause] 2017iends, looking back to , it was a tough year by any measure. Also, new yorkers rose to the occasion. We had frightening incidents of terrorism in new york city, as mayor bill de blasio well knows. Police ande the best First Responders in the country. Some of them are here today, and lets give them a round of applause. Lets see you stand, please. [cheers and applause] gov. Cuomo thank you, thank you. Antisemitic threats that were made to our Jewish CommunityCenters Across the state. Them. Ate stood with we were supportive, but the operators were heroic. They refused to yield to intimidation, and they are here with us today. Let them know we stand in solidarity with our jewish brothers and sisters across the state and we applaud their heroism. Please stand. [applause] gov. Cuomo Mother Nature has tested us, it seems, time and and again. Me we saw flooding on lake ontario like we had never seen before. We saw flooding along the st. Lawrence river, the mohawk valley. Stones in rochester and frigid temperatures all across the state. Our state employees were there for us. We have some of them here today. The department of transportation, the department of general services, railway authority, and our First Responders. Lets give them a round of applause and thank them for the great work they do. [applause] gov. Cuomo they are forecasting another possible snowstorm on thursday on long island, which will once again see the county executives out there. , all of thee you glamour of the inauguration will be gone at the first snowstorm. My advice, gloves and boots. Gloves and boots. Lets give the new county executive a round of applause. But my friends, Mother Nature saved her worst fury not for new. Ork, but for puerto rico i am proud of the help that new yorkers offered the people of puerto rico. It was [applause] bipartisan, all across the state of new york. We asked for donations. The outpouring was incredible. Tons of materials were donated from new yorkers. We asked for volunteers and they came in every possible way. We had the National Guard there, the neware workers, york state nurses association, the Greater New York hospital association. We had utility workers from all across the state. I went down on one visit 500 utility workers. Any from new york than from other place, literally getting the power back. [applause] power the new York Authority that did a great job, unicef did a great job. They all came together. But we want the people of puerto rico who are still suffering today 60 still without power know we want them to that new york will stand by them every step along this journey. We are their friends, brothers and sisters. Uno, uno, somos uno, somos we will be there for puerto rico. Today marks the eighth time ive gotten the opportunity to discuss the state of the state. Serving as your governor has been the privilege of my life, especially as ive had the good fortune to serve with legislators who have the political will and talent to tackle the great issues. The history books will show that thanks to the actions of the officials assembled here today, our state has made unprecedented progress. Our economy is stronger and we are once again the nations beacon for social progress. As governor al smith used to say, lets look at the record. The record says crime is down , a cleaner environment, a fairer criminal justice system, more High School Graduates attending colleges. We have conserved more land than ever before, enacted a more progressive tax code, launched the most Ambitious Building Program in the country. Stark investments in education, health care, and economic development. Upstate new york is no longer treated as the forgotten stepchild of albany as it was for so many years. [applause] and my friends, State Government is back. It is reengaged as a vibrant partner of congress in every region of the state of new york. And they got ahead of me we ended the drought in buffalo returning to the playoffs for the First Time Since 1999. Go, bills. Go, bills. [applause] we are honored achieved historic fiscal discipline. ,or the first time in 50 years thanks to the assembly in the timely,we passed seven responsible budgets. Think about that. Discipline, we did more with less, and it is working. Every new yorkers tax rate is lower today than when i took office. The highest Credit Rating in 40 years. 4. 7 ,oyment is down to and it is down in every single region of the state of new york. [applause] because, my friends, the greatest success is shared. Today, new york has 8. 1 million private sector jobs, the highest number that has existed in the history of the state of new york. [applause] in fact, our record is better. Listen, you will be pleased and proud to know we have created more jobs than any administration in 75 years. Look at this chart from the federal bureau of labor statistics. We created one million new jobs in six plus years. Since governor dewey was elected in 1942, no state administration has created more jobs for a higher or a higher percentage of jobs, or created jobs faster. Congratulations, that is your record and it is truly a record to be proud of. [applause] now you will notice on the chart that governor mario cuomos numbers are reacted. There is no constitutional or legal or regulatory reason that. Ould justify that redaction however, i did it for a couple reasons. First, because my mother is here. And if i ever compared myself to my father and said i had a better set of numbers, i could never go home again. You dont know my mother, it would be no meatballs for andrew. God for bid chris became the famous son the favorite son. Even i dont think she will go that far. Second reason i did not do it is because if i compared myself to my father, you would see him send a lightning bolt through the ceiling to strike me dead. Here i am also, i didnt include his , in my opinion, there is no comparison of any governor to governor Mario Matthew cuomo. [applause] besides all these fiscal accomplishments and more jobs than ever before, weve accomplished something else. We have indicated the promise of progressive government, because it requires citizen confidence and management competence. Progressive leaders must be dreamers and doers, the visionaries and achievers. We followed fdrs aggressive philosophy. Real change for real people in. Eal time my fathers philosophy he called himself a pragmatic progressive. Restoring confidence in by delivering practical accomplishments. People need food, housing, education, just this. They dont need theoretical aggressive politics. Theoretical progressive politics. They need actual politics that makes a difference in their lives because they are suffering today and they need life to be made better for them. [applause] and that, my friends, is what we have done. Marriage equality, paid family leave, paid minimum wage gun safety, climate coalition. No other state has done what we have done. We are once again the nations vanguard for social progress, and you should feel good and proud of that accomplishment. [applause] and my friends, you should feel confident in our ability to govern, and to do what many people believe cannot be done. Because you have done it over and over again. And we have been told over and over, we cant do it. It is too hard. But we did it. We will need that confidence, because 2018 may be the toughest year new york has faced in modern political history. The job you will have to do may be the job that is the hardest job done by any legislative body to sit in modern political history. We have unprecedented challenges ahead on every level. With these challenges at this stark and requires bold action. We are facing a three front war. We have the old challenges of discrimination and sexism that have plagued society for years and have recently been exposed for their prevalence and barrel lengths and virulence. Society has rightly expressed its outrage. Government must seize this moment to attack these social diseases that have long been institutionalized and and and them once and for all. Women and minorities still faced abuse and prejudice. We must acknowledge it, stamp it out, and do so here and now. [applause] second, we face new challenges threatening our safety and quality of life. Terrorism, climate change, environmental threats. The growing opioid epidemic. A scourge that has claimed 3000 lives just last year. , we have federal and economic challenges never experienced before. They threaten the essence of our economy. Shortterm, we have a 4 billion deficit and 2 billion in cuts in federal aid. Even more challenging longterm, our federal government has hurt our States Economic position both nationally and internationally, by taxing our taxes. Nd local they made us less competitive. And they are helping other states at our expense. They are continuing their evolvingpolitics and it into an even more divisive government. Just think about it. While we in this state, together, have been working for economic and social progress, our federal government is working to roll back so much of what we have done. They are trying to roll back new yorks position as an economic leader, to roll back a womans right to choose, to roll back environmental protection, health care for the poor, access to writes,loans, lgbtq organize, ourto historic tax cuts weve done over these past seven years. To roll back an immigrantchild opportunity to be an american. We cannot and must not let those things happen in the great state of new york. [cheers and applause] gov. Cuomo thank you. By us start our agenda addressing the first challenge. The old, ugly persist