Calls For State to Suspend Energy Utility Tax

ALBANY – With residents across the Hudson Valley seeing their energy bills skyrocket, Senator Sue Serino is urging Governor Kathy Hochul to take steps to suspend state taxes and fees and is pushing for the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) to investigate the significant price hikes.

“Like many officials, my office has been inundated with calls and emails from distraught neighbors who are seeing drastic spikes in their utility bills,” said Senator Serino. “With costs rising on basic necessities across the board and New York facing a current budget surplus, the state must take immediate action to provide relief for residents. New Yorkers are hurting—especially our seniors who live on fixed incomes. The state cannot sit idly by or point fingers. Now is the time to take real action to ease the burden on hardworking New Yorkers.”

Central Hudson, which provides utility services to many residents of Dutchess and Putnam counties, recently issued an alert regarding increased energy costs stating that they are projecting that natural gas bills would increase 19%, electric bills by 46%, and combination electric and natural gas bills by 29%. Customers of New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG), another major utility serving the Hudson Valley and other municipalities in the state, have similarly seen significant increases in their utility bills. In addition, consumers of ConEd, which serves New York City, have reported price spikes as high as 300%.