As AWOL Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado spends 41% of his taxpayer funded time doing so much nothing it could inspire an episode of “Seinfeld,” New Yorkers may wonder where they can find an example of a strong lieutenant governor. Luckily, they don’t have to look any further than Gov. Hochul — who taught a master class in effective leadership during her previous tenure as lieutenant governor.
I had the privilege of working with Kathy Hochul when she had the role Delgado no longer wants and her dedication to serving the people of this state was just as unwavering then as it is today.
When she saw the scourge of rape and sexual assault on college campuses, and the non-response from administrations and outright victim blaming baked into the process, then-Lt. Gov. Hochul demonstrated courage and leadership in speaking out and taking action.
She used her position as lieutenant governor to help pass the nation-leading Enough is Enough legislation to combat sexual assault on college campuses. Working together, we put in countless hours organizing advocacy groups, galvanizing grassroots support, educating and convincing legislators on the merits, and putting in the necessary work to get the bill passed.
After it became law, LG Hochul kept going, literally. She crisscrossed New York, meeting directly with students, faculty, and staff at colleges statewide to make sure they understood the law. She passed out wallet-sized cards with information about the new law and the number for the state police hotline. On campuses across New York, she made it clear that she was there and that support was always available.
As lieutenant governor, Hochul was a workhorse, famously declaring, “We don’t do tired. I don’t want any downtime. I don’t need it.” From kitchen tables to economic development meetings to town halls — she was (and remains) a fixture across all of New York’s 62 counties.
At the time, Hochul said, “There’s a strong sense that this is my moment to make a difference. I know in elected office, it’s not up to me, it’s up to voters. I know I have a finite time — the length of a term is all you’ve been given to make an impact.” Delgado, on the other hand, has so far recorded 135 weekdays with zero reported work during just three years as lieutenant governor.
That’s 27 weeks of vacation. Europe doesn’t even give that much time off.
And yet it gets worse. According to the same Freedom of Information Law request, Delgado’s first 1,011 days on the job as LG consisted of either one or zero scheduled events or meetings on his calendar a whopping 41% of the time. Clocking in at 415 days, that’s well more than a year.
Compare that with Hochul’s schedule while lieutenant governor. She logged enough mileage traveling the state to go around the earth more than 10 times. She was a force behind the Enough is Enough legislation, visiting campus after campus to listen to survivors, parents, and administrators while advancing the law that is now a national model.
She presided over the successful passage of the Reproductive Health Act, protecting the right to choose and ensuring that contraception is universally covered in New York. She successfully toured the state advocating for the passage of the Red Flag bill to increase gun safety, which was ultimately signed into law. And she reauthorized and expanded the nation-leading MWBE program to empower women and people of color entrepreneurs.
Hochul was committed to building a stronger, more equitable state as lieutenant governor. She did — and continues to do — the work, she showed up for New Yorkers, and our state is better for it.
The role of lieutenant governor is largely what you are able and willing to make of it. Even hardworking lieutenant governors have struggled with the widespread perception that it is a largely ceremonial position with no remit. In contrast, Kathy Hochul maximized the role of the lieutenant governor to effectuate meaningful change for the people of New York.
Quinn is a former New York City Council speaker.
