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Vedat Gashi speaking at podium surrounded by other legislators and County staff

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The Westchester County Board of Legislators and Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins Join State and City Leaders in Calling on the Public Service Commission to Reject Con Edison’s Rate Hikes

The Westchester County Board of Legislators and County Executive Ken Jenkins are again calling on the Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject Con Edison’s rate hikes.  In a formal letter Jenkins, joining with leaders across the State, detailed his widespread concerns heard directly from constituents who are struggling with utility bills that have skyrocketed —often doubling or tripling in recent years. 

Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi said, “Westchester families are at a breaking point—they cannot afford another hit to their budgets when utility bills have already doubled or tripled. Today, we stand united with leaders across the state to send an unmistakable message to the Public Service Commission: reject these rate hikes and protect our residents. The time for the PSC to act is now, before more families are forced to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table.”

Under Con Edison’s plan, the Joint Proposal would exacerbate the lack of affordability, setting annual rate increases at a rate that would exceed inflation. The three-year proposal calls for the following increases: +4.3%, +5.0%, and +3.3% for electricity delivery and -0.3%, +7.2%, and +3.7% for gas delivery for 2026, 2027, and 2028, respectively.

Jenkins said, “Con Edison, and their blatant cash grab, is creating an affordability crisis, and families, seniors, and small businesses across Westchester County have reached their breaking point. Utility bills have skyrocketed in recent years, sometimes doubling or even tripling, and people are being forced to make impossible choices between paying their rent, buying groceries, or keeping the lights on. The Joint Proposal before the Public Service Commission would only make this crisis worse, not better. We are standing shoulder to shoulder with leaders across New York State to call on the PSC to reject or significantly modify Con Ed’s proposal, and ensure that ratepayers are not asked to pay unaffordable increases to guarantee outsized returns for shareholders. Affordability must come first.”

Watch the News Conference on YouTube here.