April 29, 2026
Two assembly Republicans say that the Democrats are trying to get a bill passed, so that state lawmakers don’t have to pay late fees, on utility bills.
FROM ASSEMBLYMAN PHIL PALMESANO: “I thought I’d seen some out-of-touch, tone-deaf proposals from Albany Democrats in the past, but this one really takes the cake. Instead of providing much-needed relief to New Yorkers who are struggling to pay their utility bills due to their own green energy policies, Assembly Democrats want to give themselves utility bill relief. This is outrageous and another clear example of how completely out of touch they are with the struggles and frustrations New Yorkers are experiencing right now. If they wanted to make sure they got paid, then they should have worked, done their jobs and passed a budget on time. You just can’t make this up,” said Palmesano.
FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN ANDREA BAILEY: “At a time when many New Yorkers are struggling just to get by and in need of real relief, legislative proposals like this send the wrong message that lawmakers are serious about helping New Yorkers. Family farms, small businesses, local schools, to name a few, don’t have the luxury of deferring payment on their bills and neither should the political class. We have been stuck in a cycle of dysfunction, and rather than focusing on delivering a timely, responsible budget for New Yorkers, this proposal is prioritizing measures that shift the consequences onto others. That is not leadership, it’s avoidance, and New Yorkers deserve better.”
