# Hochul's affordability claims ring hollow on energy costs

> New York's governor promises relief while her policies have driven electricity prices up 59% since she took office.
- Title: Hochul's affordability claims ring hollow on energy costs
- Summary: New York's governor promises relief while her policies have driven electricity prices up 59% since she took office. Governor Hochul's rebate checks are…
- Keywords: kathy hochul, new york governor, energy costs, affordability crisis, electricity prices, bruce blakeman, 2026 election, utility bills, green mandates, natural gas, state budget, news
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/15/opinion/michael-goodwin-hochuls-hollow-words-about-affordability-omit-the-damage-shes-done-ny-cant-afford-4-more-years-of-her
- Published: 2026-09-16T02:30:29+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: kathy hochul, new york governor, energy costs, affordability crisis, electricity prices, bruce blakeman, 2026 election, utility bills, green mandates, natural gas, state budget, news
## Hochul claims affordability commitment
Governor Hochul says she's committed to making New York more affordable and announced a plan to send rebate checks up to $500 to millions of residents to offset household utility costs.

> "it's just part of an ongoing, continuous effort to help New Yorkers realize that this is the best place to live"
## But she opposed policies that could lower costs
Hochul has supported expensive green mandates and blocked natural gas extraction and upstate pipelines, making her claims about lowering energy costs hard to believe.
## New York's electricity prices far exceed national average
Residential electricity in New York exceeds the national average by 60.8%, and prices jumped 59.1% between June 2019 and June 2026, compared to 37.7% nationally.

> "exceeded the national average by 60.8%, compared with a 12.1% premium for natural gas"
## The gap widened since Hochul took office
The gap between New York's electricity prices and the national average has been widening noticeably since 2021 when Hochul became governor.
## Hochul blames Washington, not herself
Hochul claims Washington Republicans are driving up energy costs, but critics say her high-tax, big-spending policies and green mandates are the real culprits.

> "As Washington Republicans keep driving up the cost of energy, gas and groceries, I'll never stop working to help New Yorkers"
## Blakeman challenges Hochul on energy
GOP rival Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County executive, says 70% of utility bills go to fees and mandates, and vows to cut household bills by 50% on his first day in office.

> "It's because almost 70% of your utility bill goes to fees like delivery charges, taxes and policy mandates"
## Blakeman plans to repower plants and extract gas
Blakeman pledges to reopen closed power plants and extract New York's natural gas supply, while returning what he calls a 2.4 billion dollar energy surplus to taxpayers.
## State spending has grown 40% under Hochul
Over five state budgets, Hochul's spending has grown nearly 40%, far outpacing inflation, with this year's 278 billion dollar budget 10 billion more than last year.
## Hochul bailed out NYC mayor's budget
Hochul gave New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani 1.5 billion dollars in state taxpayer money to cover his budget-busting plans, which Blakeman calls unfair to upstate residents.
## Race remains competitive heading into November
Polls show Hochul with a lead ranging from 4 to 10 points, but midterm elections are unpredictable. Democrats nationally have an 8% advantage in expected party-line votes.
## Key takeaway

Governor Hochul's rebate checks are election-year theater that ignore her own role in creating New York's energy affordability crisis through green mandates and pipeline opposition.