Poll: Universal Consensus Among New Yorkers that State Leaders Must Prioritize Reducing the High Cost of Living in New York
Survey Finds Support for Prioritizing Cost of Living Crisis Over Energy Mandates
ALBANY – A new poll, commissioned by The Business Council, shows that concerns over rising costs are being felt by a majority of New Yorkers in key regions of the state who want lawmakers to focus on lowering bills to protect families and keep businesses in the state, with more than half of New Yorkers citing affordability and the economy as major concerns.
The survey of just over 1,100 voters in Albany, Long Island, and New York City found near universal consensus – 91% – across all regions and political party affiliations that addressing the high cost of living for individuals, families, and businesses should be the top focus of state government leaders over fighting climate change and protecting the environment.
The poll respondents ranked what lawmakers need to focus on in terms of affordability, which includes:
• Housing
• Groceries
• Utilities bills
• Auto fuel costs
The overwhelming majority of voters surveyed (89%) support investing in repowering existing power plants nearing the end of their useful life to preserve reliability and lower energy costs for New Yorkers. Almost half (47%) said that government regulators (29%) and elected officials (18%) are most to blame for the high cost of energy in New York.
More than half of voters under 35 are most focused on the cost of housing, while older voters tend to be more focused on the cost of their utility bills.
Full poll results can be found here
“New Yorkers are making themselves heard loud and clear: Priority number one for lawmakers must be bringing down the unsustainable costs that are contributing significantly to the affordability crisis,” said Heather Mulligan, President & CEO, The Business Council of New York State. “We need to get serious about lowering costs for families and businesses alike to keep our state economically viable. ‘All-of-the-above’ policies must include changes to make it easier to build housing, reducing regulations on small businesses, as well as lowering energy costs by making the best use of our existing power plants to ensure the lights stay on for years to come.”
These findings come as The Business Council has launched a statewide affordability campaign - a seven-figure initiative that will rate legislation proposed in Albany based on whether it lowers costs for New Yorkers or makes the state even more expensive to live, work, and do business in.
The campaign will roll out expanded digital and public education efforts highlighting the real-world impact of energy costs on jobs, investment, and household budgets, while advocating for solutions that protect reliability and bring down bills.