NYGOP Chair Ed Cox has responded to the Tax Foundation’s latest State Tax Competitiveness Index, which ranked New York last among all states for tax climate in 2026.
Cox criticized current state leadership, stating: “If we needed another reminder, here it is: under Kathy Hochul and one-party Democrat rule, New York has become the most taxed, most regulated, least free state in America.”
He expressed concern over the impact on residents and businesses: “Businesses and families are already fleeing for friendlier states. With Kathy Hochul bending the knee to Communist anti-Semite Zohran Mamdani, that trend will only accelerate.”
Cox also referenced political competition ahead of next year’s election. “That’s why Kathy Hochul is already losing to Elise Stefanik, who hasn’t even declared her candidacy. Next year, we will defeat Hochul and end the scourge of Democrat rule in New York.”
Governor Kathy Hochul has served as the 57th governor of New York since 2021. She is a member of the Democratic Party and is recognized as New York’s first female governor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathy_Hochul).
