Senator Kristen Gonzalez Secures Enhanced Empire Child Tax Credit, Funding for Affordable Housing, MTA modernization, and Public Schools in 2025-26 State Budget for Queens

ALBANY, NY – With the passage of the 2025 Enacted New York State Budget Senator Kristen Gonzalez lauded the inclusion of several budget investments that will benefit residents of Queens. 

Senator Gonzalez advocated for and voted to secure an increased Empire State Child Tax Credit, which will benefit families with children under 4 ($1,000 per child), $50 million for the Housing Access Voucher Program to provide stable housing, and full funding for the $68 billion dollar MTA Capital Plan, which will result in Midtown tunnel upgrades and Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) modernization. Gonzalez also advocated for and voted in favor of increased funding for the City University of New York, New York City Public schools, and an increase of $400 million for childcare access and $110 million to build or renovate child care centers. The Governor also committed to working on a pathway to universal childcare. 

The three county representative (Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn) also advocated for funding for various non-profit organizations that serve the district, including Urban Upbound, which serves the Astoria and Long Island City area in Queens county. The budget also included funding for key anti-violence programs, including $22 million for SNUG. 

Additionally, Senator Gonzalez was able to secure $2 million for a pilot program for a green affordable pre-electrification pilot (GAP) program. The “GAP Fund” will assist owners and tenants in residential properties in curing structural and building code defects which render the properties ineligible for climate change adaptation and resiliency project grants. 

The budget agreement also includes inflation refund checks, which will put $2 billion back in the pockets of over 8 million New York taxpayers. Later this year, New York State will send direct payments to everyday New Yorkers. Joint tax filers with income up to $150,000 will receive a $400 check, and joint filers with income over $150,000 but no greater than $300,000 will receive a $300 check. Single tax filers with income up to $75,000 will receive a $200 check, and single filers with incomes over $75,000 but no greater than $150,000 will receive a $150 check.

Senator Kristen Gonzalez, (D- Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn) said, “As a resident of Queens myself, it was really important to me that we delivered on investments for our neighbors in Astoria and Long Island City in our state budget. I’m proud to share that in many ways we were successful in doing that and that our NYC public schools will receive record funding, we are expanding child care access, and low-income New Yorkers will be eligible for inflation rebate checks. Our working class and immigrant families deserve a state budget that prioritizes their needs and provides relief to their wallets. This budget made some bold investments to address cost of living expenses and I will keep advocating for greater investments in future budgets to meet this political moment.”