As the Legislature tackles the state budget, lawmakers are focusing on affordability issues facing New Yorkers, from the cost of housing and food to insurance and energy. The need for solutions is acute as costs for families continue to rise. Gov. Hochul has outlined some sensible solutions, but it will be up to state lawmakers to deliver. The escalating costs for energy are particularly troubling, as electric rates have increased by 36% for many New Yorkers in the last three years with more increases coming. The reasons are simple: demand continues to increase and the cost of generating or importing power rises with it. The impact is real: New York City Council records show more people are now seeking help paying their utility bills than paying for food. The governor wants to help those who are struggling the most, proposing $30 million to help people pay their utility bills. That will help those who are eligible for aid but won’t help working families who don’t qualify yet continue to feel the pinch of escalating costs. These New Yorkers — the working middle-class — need solutions. Those solutions must include embracing an “all-of-the above” approach to energy — renewables, nuclear, other zero emission sources and natural gas. New York needs to increase energy generation so we can meet our own demand and make sure the energy we generate is affordable. That means taking a fresh look at the ambitious roadmap the Legislature set for a cleaner energy future. Not just to help working families, but also to support economic growth. New York has been importing electricity from other states for decades. But while it made economic sense in years past, the cost of imported energy has skyrocketed as other states keep more of that power to fuel their economic growth. The opportunities that AI is creating, along with electric vehicles and other factors, makes power an increasingly valuable commodity. President Trump hasn’t helped. Offshore wind is expensive despite the governor’s leadership on this issue, but Trump’s war on offshore wind and his tariffs has only made offshore wind even more of a challenge. We need renewables for our future, but that future is further away than many want to acknowledge. The governor’s proposed nuclear energy plant for upstate is a critical part of the long-term solution and her support for a new natural gas pipeline will allow New York to bring in more affordable natural gas to help consumers more affordably heat their homes and cook food. But to encourage more energy generation — repowering plants for example — requires an honest conversation about the pathway to a cleaner future. The Legislature’s goal of getting to that cleaner future by 2040, with real milestones by 2030, is not realistic and will punish working families with ever increasing costs. This is not an easy task in an election year when “environmentalism” can triumph over the financial impact on working families. Natural gas gets demonized, yet it has been responsible for lowering emissions across the state. Businesses, churches, and families who have converted from oil heat to gas have not only saved money but have also reduced emissions. If we are going to address the affordability crisis, it’s time for some hard conversations. It’s time to reevaluate some of the decisions we have made and adopt a more pragmatic pathway to a cleaner energy future. It must be a pathway we can all afford. Duffy is a former New York lieutenant governor. Diaz is a former Bronx borough president. They are co-chairs of Natural Allies, a coalition supporting an “all of the above” approach to energy generation. ...read more read less