Skyrocketing costs and state mandates took center stage in Albany last week as lawmakers began digging into the proposed state budget.
That’s the backdrop for a new column from state Sen. Tom O’Mara, who argues that affordability has become the defining issue facing New York residents and businesses. He points to rising taxes, higher utility bills, and growing regulations as pressures driving people out of the state.
O’Mara writes that the 2026 legislative session is pivotal, especially as budget hearings focus on agriculture, energy, the environment, and education. He highlights concerns over rapidly increasing utility costs and looming mandates, including the state’s All-Electric School Bus requirement.
At the center of his argument is a new Senate Republican Conference report titled “An Affordable New York.” The report grew out of roundtable discussions held across the state and focuses on what Republicans see as the root causes of New York’s affordability crisis. Those include taxes, energy costs, housing, childcare, insurance, transportation, and everyday expenses like food and groceries.
Energy costs and utility surcharges
O’Mara singles out energy policy as a major driver of rising costs. In his column, he criticizes surcharges imposed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, which fund the state’s climate agenda…