Staff Reports
Mayor Zohran Mamdani does not want you to see a simple line on your Con Edison bill. The state Public Service Commission recently adopted rules that would make large chunks of your bill clearer — including the share that goes to city property taxes. City Hall is now racing to stop that transparency so voters don’t exactly see how much politicians and policies are driving up energy costs.
What City Hall is Trying to Hide
Under the new PSC rules, Con Edison could break out many parts of the bill so customers know what they’re paying for. That would show that roughly a fifth of a New York City household’s bill is really property taxes, and with state levies included you can be paying about a third in taxes. Mamdani’s people are pushing back hard. Why? Because when voters see the real numbers, it makes the mayor and Albany look responsible for higher bills — and politicians hate losing that illusion.
Why the Numbers Matter to You
This isn’t just trivia. New York’s utility property-tax bills climbed dramatically — the utility’s tax bill rose about 45% from 2019 to 2024 — and most of that increase gets passed to ratepayers. If Con Ed itemizes your bill, you’ll know how much is taxes and how much is policy-driven costs like green-energy mandates. That’s important if you want to hold leaders accountable instead of letting them play the part of affordability crusaders while quietly shoving costs onto your monthly statement.
Who Is Really Driving Up Your Energy Costs
Let’s be blunt: the utilities usually bill what law and regulators let them bill. But the finger of blame points squarely at Albany and City Hall. Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, and prior administrations have pushed policies that raise costs — closing cheaper power plants and piling on mandates that require expensive clean-energy projects. Then they plaster a small rebate number on TV and act like they saved you. If politicians don’t want people to see the tax line on a bill, that tells you everything you need to know about who’s comfortable with hidden fees.
Wrap-Up: Demand Transparency, Not Theater
Transparency is boring to politicians but powerful for voters. Let Con Edison show you the pieces of your bill. If you don’t like what you see, blame the officials who made those choices — not the meter. If City Hall succeeds in hiding the tax line, expect more theater: angry speeches about affordability, tiny rebates handed out like confetti, and higher bills handed to you in the mail. We deserve better than secrecy and spin. Shine a light on the bill, and let the voters decide who is actually making energy unaffordable.
