RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP NORMAN, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS PINEDA-ISAAC, DIAZ, AND HODGES:
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL URGING THE NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO REJECT THE APPLICATIONS BY CONSOLIDATED EDISON TO INCREASE GAS AND ELECTRIC UTILITY RATES AND URGING THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE AND THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY TO OPPOSE THE UTILITY’S RATE INCREASE REQUESTS.
WHEREAS, Consolidated Edison Corp. (“Con Ed”), a provider of gas and electric utility service to thousands of Yonkers businesses and residents, has made applications to the New York State Public Service Commission (the “PSC”) for approval to increase electric and gas rates, respectively, over a three (3)-year period, starting in 2026; and
WHEREAS, Con Ed’s applications, if approved by the PSC, would result in increases in utility costs for its business and residential customers of more than twelve percent (12%) for electricity and ten percent (10%) for gas by 2028; and
WHEREAS, the proposed utility rate increases would exceed the annual rate of inflation and the rate of wage growth in this region; and
WHEREAS, Yonkers’ businesses and residents are already struggling with a skyrocketing cost of living, often facing impossible choices between utilities and other basic needs; and
WHEREAS, Con Ed’s proposed rate hikes would disproportionately hurt Yonkers’ seniors living on fixed incomes and low-to-middle-income families in our city; and
WHEREAS, as a call to action on these surging rate increases facing Westchester County businesses and residents, over forty (40) municipalities in Westchester County have formed the Westchester Municipal Consortium to oppose, together with Westchester County, Con Ed's rate hike requests, including the cities of Yonkers, New Rochelle, White Plains, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, and Rye and the towns/villages of Bedford, Eastchester, Scarsdale, Tuckahoe, Greenburgh, Mamaroneck, Ossining, Tarrytown, Yorktown, and the Pelhams; and
WHEREAS, the Yonkers City Council desires to join in these efforts by formally submitting to the PSC its statement in opposition to Con Ed’s proposed increases in electricity rates (Case 25-E-0072) and gas rates (Case 25-G-0073), and to urge the Governor of New York, the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly to do the same.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby urges the PSC to reject Con Ed’s applications to increase electric utility rates (Case 25-E-0072) and gas utility rates (Case 25-G-0073), respectively, as such proposed increases would be unreasonable, imprudent, and seriously injurious to, and not in the public interest of, the business and residents of the City of Yonkers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby urges the Governor of New York, the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly to join with the City Council, and with Westchester County and the Westchester Municipal Consortium, in opposing Con Ed’s rate hike applications to the PSC; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby directs the City Clerk to submit a certified copy of this resolution to the PSC as its statement in opposition to Con Ed’s proposed increases in electricity rates (Case 25-E-0072) and gas rates (Case 25-G-0073), respectively; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby directs the City Clerk to send a copy of this resolution to the Hon. Kathy Hochul (Governor), Hon. Speaker Carl E. Heastie, Hon. Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes (Majority Leader), Hon. Assemblyman William A. Barclay (Minority Leader), Hon. Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader), and Hon. Senator Robert G. Ortt (Minority Leader), for their consideration; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall take effect immediately.