Gov. Kathy Hochul celebrated what she’s calling the first of several victories in her $237 billion budget package, announcing that a majority of her retail theft proposal will make it into the final plan.

“A lot of critics said we couldn’t get it done, that we’d fall short, that it would be a watered-down version, but I’m here to say we got it done exactly the way we had hoped for, because it’s something I would not budge on,” Hochul said on Thursday from her Manhattan office.

The governor declared she’s sealing the deal on what she calls a crackdown on retail theft.

“We’re done forcing small businesses in particular, retail businesses of all sizes to fend off these brash and organized criminal networks on their own. When they’re under siege, we’re under siege,” she said.

Shoplifting complaints reached over 60,000 last year, according to NYPD statistics.

Hochul said she’s heard too many small business owners report frequent visits from brazen thieves.

“At the end of the day when you’re standing in a retail store, after you’ve just buzzed someone to get your toothpaste and then you’re waiting on line to pay your bill and someone else walks in with a backpack, goes and empties the shelves and then walks out and you’re still waiting to pay your bill. People notice that, and to them, crime’s at 100%,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

Part of the deal with the Democratic-led state legislature includes: Over $40 million for a new law enforcement-run retail crime task force and a $5 million tax credit for businesses who need to hire security officers, or buy surveillance cameras.

But she said, her biggest win is making it a felony to assault any retail worker.

“Right now, it’s a misdemeanor. Going from a misdemeanor to a felony was a dramatic change for a lot of people in our legislature, who wanted to leave it as a misdemeanor and I’ll just leave it at that,” Hochul said.

The governor did get pushback from State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who repeatedly said he didn’t think increased penalties deterred crime.

Meanwhile, the legislature did begin voting on budget bills on Thursday.

“We wanted to get it right, and we believe that we have,” State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters in Albany.

But, she admitted, lawmakers are still discussing the final details of policies included in Hochul’s $237 billion state budget.

“One for sure, I know, is we’re still trying to deal with mayoral control,” revealed Stewart-Cousins.

Still on the table, is whether to give a two-year extension of mayoral accountability to Mayor Eric Adams, as the measure expires in June.