Protect New Yorkers Against Utility Shutoffs

New York’s utility arrears crisis has ensnared more than 1.2 million households in New York, leaving them owing more than $1.7 billion combined in energy bill payments, and an unknown number of people owing money for their telephone, water, and high-speed internet bills.

Without action from state lawmakers, shutoffs could begin any day, potentially leaving more than a million homes without heat, hot water, or lights in the depths of winter and beyond.

Please thank your state legislators for their commitment to help struggling utility consumers in the state budget, and urge the Governor to support meaningful utility arrears relief in a final state budget.

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Dear Decision Maker,

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I urge Governor Hochul  to help the 1.2 million households who are currently in arrears on their energy bills, as well as the unknown number of people owing money for their telephone, water, and high-speed internet bills by  dedicate sufficient resources in the state budget to fully address the arrears crisis.

I see that both the State Assembly and Senate include hundreds of millions of dollars in utility relief funds in their budget proposals, and I thank my legislators for working to address this crisis. Now New Yorkers are counting on all parties – the Governor, the Senate, and the Assembly – to finalize a state budget that provides real relief for struggling utility consumers. Specifically, the final budget should include at least $725 million in funds – a small fraction of the $12.5 billion American Rescue Plan (“ARP”) funds the state has recently received for purposes like this – to address utility arrears.

Please help New Yorkers struggling with utility bills as a result of the economic impacts of the pandemic avoid having their heat, electricity, and other vital services shut off.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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