The Rochester, N.Y., City Council on June 18 voted to keep $500,000 in the city budget to lower energy bills for Rochester residents.
The flexibility of the resolution allows these funds to be used for a city-led study on replacing Rochester Gas & Electric with a public power utility, Metro Justice, a group supporting efforts to form a Rochester public power utility said.
Unlike a 2023 resolution, this year’s resolution does not require Monroe County, N.Y., or New York State to lead the study in order for the city to release these funds.
“City Council’s resolution leaves the door open to a public utility study being commissioned at the city-level, which is a step forward in our movement for a locally owned, affordable, and reliable public utility run by local union workers. Now we need to continue building grassroots pressure to ensure that the City Council uses these funds to live up to the public’s demand for a public utility study,” explained Metro Justice’s Organizing Director, Mohini Sharma.
In the coming months, the public power campaign intends to work with Mayor Malik Evans, City Administration, City Council, and local New York State representatives, to fully fund a comprehensive public utility study that is commissioned by the city of Rochester.
APPA offers a variety of resources on its website related to municipalization.
