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By Meyer Wolfsheim
New York’s ongoing migrant crisis is poised to cost each of the state’s 10.7 million taxpayers an average of $215, according to a new analysis.
The report, highlighted by The New York Post, estimates that it would take the combined tax contributions of 328,471 New Yorkers to cover the $2.3 billion expense required to house and care for the influx of asylum seekers.
This analysis was prepared by the campaign of Gina Arena, a Republican candidate for the 40th state Senate district, which includes parts of Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam counties. Arena’s findings were based on the average state income tax bill of $7,000 paid by New Yorkers in 2022. She emphasized that New York taxpayers are bearing the burden of a crisis she believes has spiraled out of control.
“It’s time to wake up to what we’re doing to taxpayers,” Arena said, according to The New York Post. She criticized the current state of affairs, especially in New York City, where young gang members, housed in shelters, have been seen causing trouble in Times Square. Arena’s comments come as reports of crime in the tourist-heavy area have raised concerns among residents and business owners.
Much of the financial burden stems from using hotels as emergency shelters, with the city reportedly reserving up to 14,000 hotel rooms for migrants through the upcoming year. Arena expressed her frustration, noting, “At this point, we’re paying members of Venezuelan gangs – in tax dollars – to turn Times Square into a criminal zone. That’s how messed up New York has become under one-party progressive rule.”
She argued that the state needs a significant shift in priorities, highlighting that the tax revenue from an entire state Senate district is insufficient to meet even a fraction of the migrant housing costs. “New York desperately needs a reality check,” Arena stressed.
Arena, a mother of eight, including a daughter with autism, has positioned herself as an advocate for the vulnerable. However, she believes that New York’s leadership has misplaced priorities, focusing more on the migrant crisis than on addressing existing needs within the state. “New Yorkers have enormous hearts,” she told The New York Post. “But we have real needs of our own. Our road infrastructure is a mess, special needs families aren’t getting enough help, senior centers need rebuilding, and vital school projects go unfunded.”
At the same time, she pointed to rising living costs, including taxes, healthcare, and everyday expenses, as pressing concerns for many residents. Arena argued that the state’s current approach treats the $2.3 billion expense lightly, while for many New Yorkers, this money represents the fruits of their labor.
The financial toll extends beyond New York City. Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has estimated that it will spend $5.76 billion to accommodate and support migrants from the summer of 2022 through June 2024. Governor Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature have allocated $2.4 billion for migrant-related costs in the current fiscal year, which spans from April 1 to March 31. According to the city’s budget office, Albany has committed $4.3 billion in total over the past two years to address the crisis statewide, with $3.1 billion directly supporting New York City.
During a recent debate hosted by the League of Women Voters, incumbent Democratic state Senator Pete Harckham attributed the financial strain to federal inaction, blaming Republicans in Congress for failing to provide aid and refusing to pass compromise border security legislation.
