New Yorkers tend to pay more for most things, like clothing, food and living space. Electricity costs are no different. New Yorkers across the state are paying more for electricity.

The New York Sun [1] announced the findings of a report by the State Business Council, which found that electricity rates in New York rose 12 percent over the last year. New York residents now pay 62 percent more for electricity than the average American.

The higher costs come from New York's reliance on natural gas rather than coal for electricity. Coal costs have stayed level, while natural gas prices have continued to rise.

Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the state Legislature have made various proposals to bring more power plants online and lower the costs for electricity. Both the governor and the Legislature are trying to speed up the approval process for new power plants. Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno is pushing clean coal power plants, while Spitzer is looking into cleaner methods of generating energy.