RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP ROBINSON, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS, PINEDA -ISAAC, DIAZ AND MERANTE:
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RESOLUTION CALLING UPON THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS AND THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN S.1896/A.1028, S.3734/A.5402 AND S.4882/A.2877 TO RELIEVE YONKERS RESIDENTS FROM THE BURDEN OF HIGH ENERGY UTILITY RATES
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Whereas, among the most significant expenses residents of the City of Yonkers must manage is utility costs, such as electricity, telecommunications, water and gas;
Whereas, more significantly, electricity and gas are undeniably critical essential utilities that Yonkers residents and all New Yorkers use to heat, cool and light their homes in addition to preparing, cooking and preserving their food such that these are basic human necessities that must remain accessible and affordable to everyone;
Whereas, historically, rates for these essential utilities move in one direction: they go up.
Whereas, however, in recent months electricity and gas costs have skyrocketed far outpacing inflation and leaving utility consumers exasperated and regularly trying to decide between keeping the heat on or buying groceries as they are completely uncertain of how they will be able continue to pay for their utility services;
Whereas, it is unfair and inhumane to allow utility company profits to outweigh the basic household needs of Yonkers families;
Whereas, the New York Public Service Commission regulates and oversees utility providers and has enormous power and responsibility over the utility industry including the power to set utility rates;
Whereas , three recently proposed bills now before the New York State Legislature, all sponsored by New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, would protect residents, business owners and all utility consumers from unfair and excessive utility rate increases;
Whereas, the first such measure, S.1896/A.1028, recently passed by the Senate, requires certain utilities to adopt the common equity ratio and rate of return on equity as authorized by the Public Service Commission in order to establish a more accurate standard upon which regulated utilities may earn a fair and reasonable rate of return for the provision of utility services while prioritizing and protecting the consumers right to have affordability and stability in their utility costs;
Whereas, the second measure, S.3734/A.5402, protects consumers and makes utility costs more affordable and stable by prohibiting the Public Service Commission from approving any rate increase that allows a utility provider to recover, in excess of one hundred thousand dollars, operating expenses associated with its attendance, participation, preparation or appeal of a rate proceeding or employee or executive salaries in excess of the current salary of the New York State Governor;
Whereas, the third measure, S.4882/A.2877, protects consumers by making utility service more reliable and resilient by forcing providers to invest in their personnel and facilities in order to strengthen utility storm response and compliance by giving the Public Service Commission greater flexibility to assess penalties against utility providers for violations of storm response and compliance regulations thereby reducing the frequency and duration of power outages;
Whereas, the foregoing proposed legislation would relieve Yonkers residents, business owners, and all energy utility consumers from utility rate increases;
Now, Therefore, Be it Resolved, that this City Council hereby calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign the three proposed bills described herein;
This resolution shall take effect immediately.