Legislature urges PSC to scrutinize utility delivery rate increases; debate over NYSEG staff contact and recusal

The Sullivan County Legislature voted to urge the New York State Public Service Commission to scrutinize delivery-rate increase applications by local utilities and to consider objections for future filings by NYSEG, Central Hudson and Orange and Rockland.

A resolution introduced during the meeting called on the Public Service Commission (PSC) to review and scrutinize utility proposals for delivery-rate increases. Legislators amended the resolution during debate to reference Central Hudson and Orange and Rockland as additional utilities of concern and to ask that the county weigh in on future applications. The amended resolution passed with eight votes in favor; Legislator Matt McPhillips abstained because he works at NYSEG.

The meeting record shows a dispute over whether McPhillips improperly involved NYSEG before the resolution was public. A legislator said they received an email from Dylan Miyoshi, NYSEG municipal community-relations manager, at 9:37 a.m. and asked whether McPhillips had shared the draft resolution with NYSEG. McPhillips acknowledged forwarding a county document to Mr. Miyoshi; another legislator argued that forwarding a document to a utility official is inconsistent with recusal. County Attorney Robert Walters advised that a legislator may disqualify himself at any stage of the proceedings. "My opinion is that mister legislator McPhillips can disqualify himself at any stage of the proceedings," Walters said.

Several legislators called the resolution largely symbolic but useful as a basis for future advocacy. One legislator said the county should mount coordinated public comments when utilities file future rate applications and work with state lawmakers to pursue legislative or regulatory changes that would help ratepayers. "If we really wanna advocate, if we really wanna do something, then we talk to them now about the next filing," one legislator said. The record includes comments that Central Hudson and Orange and Rockland have higher delivery rates than NYSEG and that the county should coordinate responses across utilities.

The resolution passed with eight in favor and one abstention (McPhillips). No roll-call of individual votes was recorded in the transcript beyond the abstention and the final tally recorded as "8 zip with Matt abstaining on both because he works at NYSEG." The legislature also amended the resolution on the floor to broaden its scope and to call for review of future applications.

The resolution does not itself change PSC policy; it directs county leaders to submit comments and to coordinate with state representatives in anticipation of future filings.

The meeting transcript shows legislators urged a mix of immediate advocacy and longer-term legislative engagement to protect consumers from rising delivery costs. Public commenters earlier in the meeting had urged the legislature to support a similar resolution and to press regulators on rate relief.