By Hank Russell
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that she will issue energy rebate checks to ratepayers in an effort to help them pay down their high electricity bills. While she says this will provide much-needed relief to the residents, one elected official said it is just a scheme by the governor to help herself get re-elected.
WAMC reported that ratepayers can expect to receive their checks — up to $200 — this fall. In order to be eligible for the rebate, residents must have lived in the state for the full year in 2024 and cannot earn more than $150,000 a year ($300,000 for married couples). Those who earn more will receive less. It is estimated that more than 8 million residents are eligible.
The money is coming from the state budget through the POWER (Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate) program.
It is not surprising that energy rates are high in New York, In fact, Long Island Life & Politics cited a report fom The Empire Center for Public Policy that New Yorkers pay the fourth-highest energy rates in the nation. LILP also cited a poll from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) showing that 76% of seniors don’t believe elected officials are doing enough to lower energy costs.
State Senator Dean Murray (R-Medford) seemed skeptical about the rebate program, given the timing of when the checks will be received.
“Any time it’s a rebate program or something during an election year, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s going to be September or October when you receive it,” Murray said. “I am sure people are going to be happy to receive this rebate, but it feels like a Band-Aid on a much bigger wound.”
LILP reached out to the governor’s office asking when the checks would be sent out. Ken Lovett, the governor’s senior communications advisor in energy and environment, said the checks are expected to be mailed out “beginning this fall,” adding that the checks “are designed to provide some relief for overburdened ratepayers who are dealing with higher prices across the board thanks to dangerous policies coming out of Washington.”
“Governor Hochul has said repeatedly that utility rates are too high,” Lovett continued. “The rebate checks are one part of the governor’s plan to hold the line on utility costs that includes her ratepayer protection plan that will remove hidden fees in bills, tie utility executive pay to affordability, and require energy companies when requesting rate increases to present a budget constrained option that keeps their operating and capital costs below the rate of inflation.”