Hochul’s Empty Promises on Affordability

When Gov. Kathy Hochul says she’s “committed to making New York more affordable,” you have to wonder whether she’s speaking the same language as the people whose utility bills keep creeping up. It’s a claim that sounds nice on the campaign trail, but it clashes with a record that, frankly, looks more like a recipe for higher costs.

Take the numbers on residential electricity. According to the Empire Center for Public Policy, the average New Yorker pays about 60 % more per kilowatt‑hour than the national average – a premium that swelled from roughly 12 % for natural gas to nearly 60 % for power. And the gap has been widening ever since Hochul stepped into the governor’s mansion in 2021. If you’re trying to keep a family warm in a winter that feels like an Arctic blast, those figures are hard to ignore.

Hochul’s own policies haven’t helped. She’s backed a string of green mandates that, while well‑intentioned, often increase the cost of producing and delivering electricity. She’s also opposed new natural‑gas extraction projects and blocked the construction of upstate pipelines that could have eased supply constraints. In short, the governor has helped set the stage for the very price spikes she now blames on “Washington Republicans” and “out‑of‑control grocery prices.”

On Tuesday, she tried to smooth things over by announcing a rebate program that will send checks of up to $500 to millions of households. The idea, she said, is to help New Yorkers “keep more money in their pockets.” Sure, a one‑time check feels good – until you realize it’s a Band‑Aid on a wound that keeps getting deeper. It’s also worth noting that the timing of the announcement – an election year – looks a lot like a classic political gimmick.

Remember 2022, when Hochul scoffed at critics who warned about the state’s soaring cost of living? She told them to “jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong.” Fast forward to this year, and she’s now urging folks who complain about taxes to “go down to Palm Beach and see who you can bring back home.” The flip‑flops are dizzying, and they leave many wondering whether the governor is speaking in earnest or just repeating sound‑bites that work on television.

Her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, has been making the energy‑cost issue the centerpiece of his campaign. He points out that roughly 70 % of a typical utility bill is made up of fees – delivery charges, taxes, and policy mandates – that have little to do with the actual cost of fuel. Blakeman has pledged to cut household utility bills by half on day one of a potential administration and to revive shuttered power plants, as well as tap the state’s abundant natural‑gas reserves. In his view, the solution is straightforward: stop adding layers of fees and let the market do its job.

Meanwhile, Hochul’s budget has ballooned to $278 billion – about $10 billion more than the previous year – even as inflation hovers around 3 %. An analysis by the City Journal notes that state spending under her watch has jumped nearly 40 % over five budgets, a rate that outpaces the cost of living increases for most families. Critics argue that if the state can collect billions in taxes and fees, why not use some of that cash to cut taxes instead of handing out temporary rebates?

The governor’s close ties to New York City’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, have only added fuel to the fire. Blakeman has accused Hochul of bailing out Mamdani’s “budget‑busting” plans with a $1.5 billion handout, calling the mayor “inexperienced and incompetent.” Whether you side with one politician or the other, the bottom line is the same: taxpayers are shouldering the cost of policies that, at best, are inefficient, and at worst, are outright harmful.

So, when Hochul says she’s working “non‑stop” to make New York a better place to live, raise a family, and run a business, the words feel hollow. The reality is a state where electricity costs are among the highest in the nation, where budget growth outstrips inflation, and where political rhetoric often masks a lack of concrete action.

New Yorkers can’t afford four more years of a governor who seems more interested in handing out checks than in fixing the underlying problems. The choice is clear: demand policies that lower taxes, reduce fees, and encourage a reliable, affordable energy supply – or keep watching the same story replay, with higher bills and the same old promises.