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New Yorkers who are struggling with energy bills could soon get a major jolt to their bank account.
In line with the new state budget, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and her team have allocated $1 billion toward one-time rebate checks, which will be distributed to over 8 million New Yorkers.
And no need to apply for this relief package — the mass reimbursement will be automatically mailed to eligible Gothamites between September and December.
Dubbed the Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER program), the monetary measure was enacted to offset skyrocketing utility costs.
“We know New Yorkers need some relief,” Hochul declared earlier this month. “They need utility relief. The bills are just getting higher and higher, and it is so discouraging for our families.”
According to the bill, the POWER program will apply to people who were Big Apple residents in 2024 and filed a timely tax return for that year.
The lower the recipient’s income bracket the more money they’ll receive.
The POWER program will funnel $200 to joint filers whose income for 2024 was under $150,000. Meanwhile, $150 will be distributed joint filers with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000 and $100 to single filers with 2024 incomes under $150,000.
Hochul billed the relief checks as part of a larger effort to help make New York more affordable for families battered by soaring costs on everything from utilities to food.
“When they start seeing those bills come in, they’re going to see this relief come in as well, and know that someone in state government actually cares about them and worries about them as well,” she declared, according to Spectrum Local News.
These provisions have come under fire from republicans, who called them a stingy gesture aimed at currying favor during election year.
“New Yorkers will get an election‑year rebate check to help cover the cost of their gas and electric bills This is not enough,” decalred State Sen. Joseph Griffo, a Republican from the Mohawk Valley. “People deserve a break all the time, not just one time.”
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