“I was encouraged to see affordable energy acknowledged in the State of the State, but I would have liked to see some of the proposals I’ve been raising this year reflected in that agenda. If we’re serious about lowering utility bills, the State budget needs to go further and directly address the parts of the system that are driving costs up.

Families across upstate New York are paying more to heat their homes even when they use the same amount of energy – or less. Delivery charges continue to rise while utilities remain protected from meaningful oversight. When conservation doesn’t lower your bill, the system isn’t working for ratepayers.

Right now, the Public Service Commission is not doing enough to protect consumers from rising delivery charges and repeated rate increases. When the same regulatory body that approves these charges is expected to justify them, public confidence erodes – and families are left paying the price.

That’s why, in this year’s budget, I believe these steps should be on the table:

• Independent oversight of utility delivery charges, which is why I called on the State Comptroller to investigate National Grid
• Real accountability in high-profit years, including limits on utilities seeking rate increases [A9041]
• Stronger legislative authority over Public Service Commission rate decisions, so ratepayers aren’t left without a voice [A9032]

Efficiency upgrades and assistance programs help, but they don’t fix a system that keeps shifting costs onto families. What’s missing are reforms that rein in delivery charges and lead to lower bills in the future – not just temporary relief.

Affordable energy is a basic necessity, not a luxury. The budget should reflect that – and I’ll continue pushing to make sure it does.”