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Friday, November 21, 2008 10:57 AM Officials correct to fight rate hike To those city of Wilson officials who attended Wednesday's N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency meeting and stood up to say enough is enough when it comes to more rate hikes -- good for you. Everyone is Wilson is concerned about their energy costs right now, and for officials from ElectriCities, of which NCEMPA is a part of, to say that a 4 percent hike will be needed starting Feb. 1 should raise our leaders' dander. This willingness to openly disagree with ElectriCity staff members over the need for the rate increase also shows Wilson residents that City Hall is getting the message about the growing unrest over our power bills. Unfortunately, there were not enough votes from Wilson and other municipalities to block the rate request from going through, but the fact that it met such strong opposition seems to signal a closer look by the member cities at everything ElectriCities is doing. Leading the charge for Wilson against the hike was Fred Horne, Wilson's director of utilities. Horne argued that the increase should be postponed because of declines in the energy markets, including nuclear fuel, which are used in the production of electricity. The cost of natural gas, oil and gasoline have all dropped during the past month. Horne said that information presented by ElectriCities staff, including a projected $19 million increase in costs in 2009, was based on October information. "The numbers were generated in October when the fuel prices were higher than they are in November," Horne said. "We ought to wait and see if this $19 million cost materializes." Horne suggested waiting until April or July to implement a rate increase, if one is needed. It is also heartening to hear that Wilson is not alone in its desire to look more closely at ElectriCities and challenge what the organization says we should be paying for electricity. Andre Knight, a Rocky Mount city councilman, urged the NCEMPA board to consider cuts to the budget and also to seek legislative help in the General Assembly for the spiraling costs of electricity that are impacting residents. "I've been bombarded by letters, concerns and e-mails," Knight said. "Have we looked to see where we can make some cuts? When I go back to my city or when I sit on the City Council, they want to cut our heads off. We have got to show our customers and our citizens that we are looking at everything." He is absolutely right. That doesn't mean that we all need to become energy experts or see something suspicious in everything ElectriCities does. It just means that as all of our dollars grow tighter city officials have to be smart and challenge ElectriCities to show us that it is holding down costs as much as possible. Whether this latest increase will be passed on to the Wilson consumers is now in the hands of the Wilson City Council. It can pass those costs on to us, or, as it did in the summer, decide to absorb some part of it. That will be a tough decision and will likely be based on where energy costs are at that time and how people are coping this winter. The message from the public is clear, however. Keep fighting. In the long run, we will all benefit from it. |
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Terese said...
They are right to fight it if they really are going to fight it. I think they are making a little show because dissent is so strong here. They sure aren't persuading anyone else. ElectriCities is corrupt. I can see that. Art Hubert and Ken Raber are no different than Jesse Tilton. They have made no cuts whatsoever. They just talk and Ken Raber thinks he knows it all. I have news for you Ken Raber, we do not buy any of the garbage you are selling. These guys have been drinking the Jesse Tilton koolade and act just like him - arrogant, condescending and know it all. The whole place should be cleaned out. The refinancing issue means they are all guilty. The Board is an absolute and total joke. Honestly we could pull people off the street and they would be better than this crew. Cut these lousy departments where people make far too much money and do nothing constructive. The communications department with its separate web site to hide stuff is the worse. Buying hybrid cars and doing newsletter in multiple colors to pay homage to Jesse Tilton and other idiots. What a bunch of wasted money. There is nothing strategic about these people. Total wast of money in our face. But the "talking points" and little brochures telling me how to conserve are the worse. I would rather not see my money wasted on this junk.
Friday, November 28, 2008 at 9:03 AM
They are right to fight it if they really are going to fight it. I think they are making a little show because dissent is so strong here. They sure aren't persuading anyone else. ElectriCities is corrupt. I can see that. Art Hubert and Ken Raber are no different than Jesse Tilton. They have made no cuts whatsoever. They just talk and Ken Raber thinks he knows it all. I have news for you Ken Raber, we do not buy any of the garbage you are selling. These guys have been drinking the Jesse Tilton koolade and act just like him - arrogant, condescending and know it all. The whole place should be cleaned out. The refinancing issue means they are all guilty. The Board is an absolute and total joke. Honestly we could pull people off the street and they would be better than this crew. Cut these lousy departments where people make far too much money and do nothing constructive. The communications department with its separate web site to hide stuff is the worse. Buying hybrid cars and doing newsletter in multiple colors to pay homage to Jesse Tilton and other idiots. What a bunch of wasted money. There is nothing strategic about these people. Total wast of money in our face. But the "talking points" and little brochures telling me how to conserve are the worse. I would rather not see my money wasted on this junk.
Friday, November 28, 2008 at 9:03 AM
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