Column: State Senator Tom O'Mara

"Changing Albany-driven energy policies the only way out"

ALBANY, April 19, 2026 -- "The lights are on but nobody's home," the old saying goes, and it serves to capture what went on in the Senate Chamber late in the afternoon last Wednesday.

The lights were on, legislation to provide New York's ratepayers immediate relief from escalating utility costs was ready for a vote, and for the second time this session, the Senate Democrat Majority wasn't home.

Once again, the Senate Democrat Majority said "No!" and turned the lights off on ratepayers. They voted against common sense proposals, including legislation I sponsor to return unspent state funds to ratepayers, an action that would provide at least some immediate relief to families, seniors, and others from out-of-control utility bills in the midst of this ongoing and long-standing affordability crisis.

How important would that relief be to ratepayers at the moment? Consider the latest statewide poll from the Siena Research Institute, which found 75% of respondents reporting that the cost of utilities was having a "serious impact on their financial condition." Fifty-one percent say their bills for heating and electricity are unaffordable, with nearly 30 percent admitting that they have been forced to borrow money or take on debt to cover utility costs.

It's startling. It should be a wake-up call to every legislator who might, somehow, still be on the fence about acting. And yet there we were in the Senate Chamber again last week with the lights on and no Democrats home.

The legislation the Democrats rejected last Wednesday, which was offered as amendments on the floor by myself and my colleague, Senator Rob Rolison of the Hudson Valley, would have ensured that ratepayers, under constant fire from skyrocketing energy costs, could have a better shot at making ends meet, balancing their family budgets, and keeping more of their hard-earned money in their own pockets.

Instead, for the second time this session, Senate Democrats struck down proposals that would:

--under legislation (S.8461) I sponsor, allow unspent funds, collected via surcharges on your monthly utility bill for the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority's (NYSERDA) "Climate Investment Account," to be returned directly to ratepayers. At a time when New Yorkers are having trouble paying their skyrocketing utility bills, there is nearly $3 billion that could be returned to ratepayers as a credit on utility bills; and

--under legislation (S.8463) sponsored by Senator Rolison, which I co-sponsor, provide a one-year utility bill tax and surcharge holiday and two-year green energy tax holiday. Government taxes and fees account for between 25% to 50% of a customer's utility bill.

The Senate and Assembly Republican Conferences have repeatedly offered these alternative policies that we believe are more focused on affordability, feasibility, and reliability. If enacted, we believe they would better protect ratepayers from the ever-rising costs they're struggling with now. It's irresponsible for New York State to go on asking ratepayers to bear the burden of a strategy that's not working and that won't work as it stands.

Not long ago, for example, the Senate Republican Conference, in a letter to Governor Hochul, called for reconvening what's known as the "Climate Action Council" (CAC).

We wrote, in part, "Since the passage of the CLCPA, electricity prices are up over 50% here in New York.This is not a coincidence. The mandates placed on utility companies have been borne by ratepayers ... These costs have become unbearable for our residents. State policy has driven up energy bills to the point where people are being forced to choose between keeping the lights on and affording everything else. It is time for the Council to reconvene and amend the CLCPA to account for economic realities."

The CAC was created under the provisions of the "Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019," known as the CLCPA. It's a 22-member body appointed by the governor and both houses of the Legislature. In December 2022, the CAC approved a "Scoping Plan" that defined the specifics for implementing broad-based clean energy and climate goals and mandates.

Plenty has changed over these past three years, however, and what we have learned, above all, is that the current strategy is delivering a heavy price tag for ratepayers, one that will only get heavier as time goes on unless we change course. Reconvening the CAC would give everyone the opportunity to get around the table again, honestly recognize what's not working, undertake a cost-benefit analysis which should have been done in the first place, and then develop an actual plan, not just a ban, to feasibly reduce emissions.

If we don't, the consequences for ratepayers and taxpayers, small businesses and manufacturers, school districts, farmers, and entire local economies will continue to be alarming.

In addition to calling for renewing the CAC, our Senate and Assembly minority conferences have advanced and will continue to promote actions to deliver much-needed relief to overburdened ratepayers. We will continue to voice a clean energy strategy that is focused on affordability, feasibility, and reliability. We have attempted to advance numerous alternative proposals, including those that were rejected again last week, and I fully expect that we will continue to do so throughout the remainder of the current legislative session.

There's no choice. It's worth repeating, as often as needed: The only way to reduce energy costs in New York State is to change Albany Democrat-driven energy policies.

Photo in text: State Senator Tom O'Mara

Legislature Chairman

Carl Blowers, 535-6174 or 237-5469

Legislature Members:

Gary Gray, 292-9922

Robert Halpin

Jeffrey Fazzary

Gail M. Walker

Phil Barnes, Watkins Glen, 481-0482

Mark Rondinaro, 398-0648

Laurence Jaynes

County Clerk: Theresa Philbin, 535-8133

Sheriff: Kevin Rumsey, 535-8222

Undersheriff: Andrew Zeigler, 535-8222

County Treasurer: Holley Sokolowski, 535-8181

District Attorney: Jeremy Hourilhan, 535-8383

State, Federal Officials for Schuyler County

Sen. Charles E. Schumer

United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
DC Phone: 202-224-6542
DC Fax: 202-228-3027
Email Address: http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html

Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

United States Senate
478 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
DC Phone: 202-224-4451
Website: http://gillibrand.senate.gov/

State Senator Tom O'Mara -- Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates, and eastern Allegany County (towns of Alfred, Almond, Amity, Andover, Birdsall, Burns, Grove, Independence, Scio, Ward, Wellsville, and Willing).

Room 706, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: (518) 455-2091
Fax: (518) 426-6976
www.omara.nysenate.gov

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano-- All of Schuyler and Yates, majority of Steuben, and portions of Chemung and Seneca counties.

Room 448, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: (518) 455-5791
Fax: (518) 455-4644
Website: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Philip-A-Palmesano/