With just weeks to go until the midterm elections, the New York governor’s race is zeroing in on energy costs. While Gov. Kathy Hochul has been promoting rebates and discounts, Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman has argued the relief doesn’t go far enough. Hochul said millions of New Yo rkers who have not enrolled may be eligible for the state’s Energy Affordability Program. She said households can save up to $500 per year by enrolling. New York Sep 14 NY sending rebate checks up to $200 to 8.2 million households starting next week Trump Administration Sep 10 Trump promises $500 Obamacare rebate checks for 1M enrollees New York Jun 1 Up to $200: NY will send out rebate checks to help pay utility bills “Half of all households in New York are available for extra help with their energy bills,” Hochul said. Eligible New Yorkers include people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid or a veterans disability pension, according to the governor. “It’s real money. Real money!” Hochul said. Blakeman said the state’s proposed relief is insufficient. “What is she giving us? Peanuts! We get back peanuts we give her thousands of dollars and this is what we get,” Blakeman said. Hochul responded by pointing to former President Donald Trump while discussing energy costs. “When was his last conversation with Donald Trump given that the costs are driven by the assault on our clean energy strategy,” Hochul said. Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, invoked a promise President Trump made to voters last week, in which he said the government will “issue a dividend” of $5,000 if Republicans hold onto control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Blakeman contrasted that idea with the state’s rebates. “Wouldn’t you rather have $5,000 in your account than $100?” Blakeman said. Hochul has said upwards of eight million New Yorkers will soon get rebate checks. According to figures highlighted in a graphic, joint filers under $150,000 can get $200 back, and joint filers making up to $300,000 can get $150. For some New Yorkers, the pressure is already immediate — especially for people on fixed incomes. “Everything is going up. Grocery too. And at the end of the month very little for spending extra,” said Migdalia Miranda, of the Lower East Side. Voters also described broader affordability concerns tied to utility bills and gas prices. “Everything is out of control. You need two incomes just to own a home,” said Howard Beach resident Catherine O’Connor. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC New York. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC New York journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less