On September 16, 2026, opinion columnist Michael Goodwin charged Governor Kathy Hochul with misleading New Yorkers about affordability, citing the governor’s own policies that have driven up energy costs and the state’s overall spending.
The issue matters to families of faith who seek responsible stewardship of household resources, especially when high utility bills threaten the ability to provide for children and support community ministries.
Goodwin notes that Hochul’s record includes opposition to natural‑gas extraction and upstate pipelines, policies he argues have contributed to New York’s “record prices for heating, cooling and electricity.” He points to data from the Empire Center for Public Policy showing residential electricity prices in the state exceed the national average by 60.8 %, while natural‑gas premiums sit at 12.1 %.
The same data indicate that the average residential electricity price rose 59.1 % from June 2019 to June 2026, outpacing the national increase of 37.7 % and widening the gap since Hochul took office in 2021. In response, the governor announced a rebate program that would send checks of up to $500 to millions of residents to offset utility costs, describing it as “just part of an ongoing, continuous effort to help New Yorkers realize that this is the best place to live and raise a family and have a business.”
Goodwin also highlights the broader fiscal context: the Citizens Budget Commission reports New York collected the highest per‑capita taxes in fiscal 2024, 22 % above California, while spending on Medicaid exceeds $100 billion annually and education costs reach nearly $32,000 per student—81 % above the national average. State spending has grown nearly 40 % over the five budgets Hochul has overseen, outpacing inflation, according to a City Journal analysis.
As the 2026 election approaches, Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman is positioning the affordability debate as a central issue, pledging to reduce household utility bills by 50 % and to extract the state’s natural‑gas surplus. Voters will decide whether Hochul’s rebate approach or Blakeman’s broader spending cuts better serve New Yorkers seeking financial stability and responsible governance.