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.
He notes that NYSERDA’s financial plan shows a surplus of $2.4 billion, with projections of more than $2 billion annually in the coming years. O’Mara questions whether ratepayers should continue carrying that burden while electricity costs have climbed more than 50% between January 2020 and October 2025.
O’Mara says he is sponsoring legislation, S8461, that would return unused climate funds directly to ratepayers, offering nearly $1 billion in relief.
Proposals aimed at cost relief
The “Affordable New York” agenda outlines a wide range of proposals aimed at easing financial pressure on residents. Among them are income tax cuts, utility bill tax holidays, and the creation of a state commission to review and eliminate unnecessary regulations.
The plan also calls for repealing the All-Electric Building Act, which O’Mara says adds $20,000 to $25,000 to the cost of building a single-family home. Other proposals focus on childcare assistance, a new homebuyer tax credit, and a refundable “baby bonus” tax credit for parents of newborns.
A call for action
In the column, O’Mara argues that state leaders need to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to address affordability. He accuses the Democratic majority in Albany of talking about the crisis while continuing what he describes as irresponsible spending and overregulation.
Senate Republicans, he writes, want “Affordable New York” to play a central role in budget talks and policy debates this year and beyond.
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