Picente Quits State Board, Predicts Hochul’s Gas Policy Will Burn NY

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente can no longer in good faith serve on the New York Power Authority Board with the destructive policies being pushed out by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Picente sent his letter of resignation to the Governor on Tuesday, resigning from his unpaid position on the NYPA Board of Trustees, a seat he's held since being appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2015.

“I can no longer in good conscience serve an administration that is advancing policies that I believe are damaging the very foundation of our economy, public safety and health of the entire state,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. told Hochul in his Feb. 14 resignation letter, which the NY Post obtained a copy of.

Picente referenced Hochul's plan to ban natural gas from new constriction by 2025, and eventually prevent the energy from being used, which serves as one of the most affordable and effective ways to heat homes and businesses in Upstate NY, and serves as the fuel that operates the majority of cooking stoves in people's homes and restaurants around the state.

But he didn't stop there.

“A public safety system that is hamstrung by a lack of bail and burdensome discovery laws that punish victims and allow criminals to be released to commit more crimes,” the NY Post published from his letter.

“The exodus of people to other states, not because of climate, but because of taxation and over regulation that is fraying the fabric of New York,” he added according to The Post.

Picente continued with a quip about New York policy that dates back to when Cuomo was still in office.

“First, Cuomo wanted to know how many people we were having for dinner, now Kathy Hochul wants to tell us how we can cook it,” Picente, Jr. told The Post.

Picente is seeking reelection to his county executive position in November and is thus far, running unopposed.