Governor Kathy Hochul’s utility rebate checks are being mailed out to households across New York, just as voters prepare to cast their ballots on whether to re-elect her.
These checks, which began arriving in September, will continue to go out until December, delivering between $100 and $200 to around 8.2 million households.
The $1 billion initiative was included in the state budget back in May, with Hochul emphasizing that it serves as relief from soaring energy costs, which have risen between 27% and 46% during her time in office.
However, her Republican challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, has criticized the checks, calling them a “big election-year scam.”
He previously expressed disdain for the amounts being distributed, which are determined by 2024 tax returns, labeling them as “peanuts” and questioning their impact on the lives of everyday New Yorkers.
Blakeman isn’t the only one opposed to the rebate checks. On Monday, high-ranking officials from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration criticized these one-off payments, arguing they “disempower” individuals and fail to tackle the actual causes of rising costs.
“One-time handouts disempower people,” said Elle Bisgaard-Church, Chief of Staff to Mayor Mamdani, during the New York City Policy Forum. She also criticized means-tested programs for segregating and burdening people.
This sentiment was echoed by another member of Mamdani’s team, Lina Khan, Chair of the Economic Development Corporation Board, who stated that a broad shift is needed to truly assist New Yorkers.
“It’s not really about one-time checks. This isn’t about one-time tax breaks,” Khan said, insisting politicians should focus on addressing corporate greed, a key factor contributing to soaring costs.
Bisgaard-Church and Khan were not specifically criticizing Hochul’s checks. Khan didn’t comment later when the state program was mentioned during the event.
City Hall, though, has expressed support for Hochul’s rebate checks, saying they are part of various solutions aimed at helping working families.
“We welcome all solutions that deliver for working families, including shorter-term measures for immediate relief as well as long-term changes that address their key financial burdens,” a spokesperson for Mamdani stated.
The differing views between Mamdani’s aides and Hochul’s policies underline the notable divisions between the democratic socialist mayor and the moderate governor. The two appeared together on the campaign trail for the first time just three days before the policy forum.
Supporters of Mamdani, particularly from the Democratic Socialist of America, have consistently urged Hochul to fulfill their “tax the rich” ambitions, and there have been instances where her presence at events with Mamdani has met with discontent from his youthful followers.
While Hochul has promised not to raise income taxes, she did propose the controversial pied-à-terre tax aimed at generating revenue for the city. It seems she’s trying to navigate her relationship with Mamdani’s backers as she seeks a second four-year term.
On Wednesday, when asked if she would support Mamdani’s push to “tax the rich” if re-elected, Hochul avoided a direct answer, offering a somewhat muddled response instead.
“There are no quid pro quos for us supporting each other. I want to have a relationship with the mayor of New York,” she stated, not reiterating her previous outright opposition to Mamdani’s tax proposals.
As the election approaches, a recent Siena University poll indicated that Hochul led Blakeman by about 14 points, with 54% supporting the Democratic governor and 40% backing her GOP opponent.
