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Taxes and spending ever upward is Kathy Hochul’s motto

Nypost · · 346 words · By Post Editorial Board
Partisan politics New York State Governance Fiscal policy
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What to know about Partisan politics

Excelsior, “Ever upward,” is the Empire State motto; too bad it’s inspired Gov.

Claims checked 7
Techniques found 5
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center86%
Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Excelsior, “Ever upward,” is the Empire State motto; too bad it’s inspired Gov.

Why it matters

Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats to make New York No.

Common ground

Per the latest Citizens Budget Commission report, the state collected more taxes per capita than any other state in fiscal year 2024 — leaving No.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/opinion/taxes-and-spending-ever-upward-is-kathy-ho…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 100% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 90% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Appeal to Fear 75% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Black-and-White Fallacy 85% confidence
Presenting only two options when more exist.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing black-and-white fallacy helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 80% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 3
check_circle Corroborated 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
info
Claim 1: “New York’s overall Medicaid spending has soared to over $100 billion a year”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms New York spends the most on Medicaid managed care, the specific figure of 'over $100 billion a year' is not explicitly corroborated by the provided evidence snippets, though the general trend of high spending is noted.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Healthcare in New York refers to all health care available in the state of New York. The healthcare system does not provide for the entire population, but instead most people are covered by a combinat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_New_York_(state)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 2: “Statewide spending for elementary and secondary education — nearly $32,000 per student in FY 2024 — is 81% above the national average”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figures ($32,000 per student and 81% above national average) appear in one web search result, but there are no other independent sources provided to corroborate these exact numbers.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Statewide spending for elementary and secondary education — nearly $32,000 per student in FY 2024 — is 81% above the national average, while buying markedly worse results than even much-lower-spending…
https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/opinion/taxes-and-spending-eve…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 4. This new student is much shyer than the others. 5. Who is the best football player in the world? 6. Her hair is longer than her sister's.12. She is slimmer than her sister. 13. Your plan is more se…
https://www.euroki.org/koza/open-the-bracketsmy-brother-is-v…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — It starts on TikTok. Join the millions of viewers discovering content and creators on TikTok - available on the web or on your mobile device.
https://www.tiktok.com/foryou?lang=en
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Claim 3: “the main drivers of the out-of-control state spending are Medicaid and school aid”
CORROBORATED
Multiple news reports (NY Post and others) state that Medicaid has surpassed school aid as a primary driver of state spending.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The administrative divisions of New York are the various units of government that provide local services in the U.S. state of New York. The state is divided into boroughs, counties, cities, towns, and…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Ne…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 4: “Excelsior, “Ever upward,” is the Empire State motto”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Multiple web sources and official state emblem descriptions confirm that 'Excelsior' is the New York state motto and translates to 'Ever Upward'.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, also called New York State, is a state located in the Northeastern United States. Bordering New England to its east, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, and Canada to its north, New Yo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_(state)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New York Times (NYT) is a newspaper based in Manhattan, New York City. The New York Times covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces and reviews. One of the lo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 5: “If state and local governments spent like Massachusetts, outlays would drop $64 billion; like New Jersey, $99 billion — and like Florida, $170 billion”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results for this claim are irrelevant (discussing AT&T and general government outlays) and do not contain the specific comparative figures for Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Florida.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ...2.01 Billion of '64 Outlay of $3.25 Billion Marked for That Purpose 3 CATEGORIES LISTED $423 Million Is Scheduled for Modernization, Rest for 'Standing Still' Split Slated Maintaining Business A.T.…
https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/01/archives/at-t-spending-st…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The difference between government spending (outlays) and tax revenues. Here, Calculates the net balance using given outlays and revenues.
https://studyx.ai/questions/4mj0lgg/suppose-that-the-governm…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — PBGC outlays were $47.3 billion lower than expected as a result of a number of multi-employer pension plans withdrawing or delaying their application for SFA until after the release of the SFA final r…
https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/briefing-room/2022/…
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Claim 6: “Per the latest Citizens Budget Commission report, the state collected more taxes per capita than any other state in fiscal year 2024 — leaving No. 2 California in the dust by 22%.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent reports cite the Citizens Budget Commission's 'Top of the Charts 4' analysis, confirming New York collected more taxes per person than any other state in FY 2024.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Budget of His Majesty's Government is an annual budget set by HM Treasury for the following financial year, with the revenues to be gathered by HM Revenue and Customs and the expenditures of the p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_the_United_Kingdom
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Citizens Advice (previously Citizens Advice Bureau and also known as Cyngor ar Bopeth in Welsh) is a British independent organisation specialising in giving people free and impartial information and a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_Advice
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New Mexico is a state located in the Western United States. According to the 2020 United States census, New Mexico is the 15th least-populous state with 2,117,522 inhabitants but the 5th-largest by la…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_municipalities_in_New_…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 7: “The CBC only gave New York the silver medal there, but Alaska “earned” its gold on a technicality, thanks to oil-money checks it sends out to its citizens.”
CORROBORATED
The CBC report mentioned in the evidence confirms New York ranked second in spending per person, behind Alaska.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Alaska ( , ə-LASS-kə) is a U.S. state located in the northwestern regions of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Anchorage (Denaʼina: Dgheyay Kaq'; Dgheyaytnu), officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it con…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorage,_Alaska
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Citizens Advice (previously Citizens Advice Bureau and also known as Cyngor ar Bopeth in Welsh) is a British independent organisation specialising in giving people free and impartial information and a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_Advice
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.