Double-digit increases have become the norm for Citizens Energy customers. I love how our local news media reports on these rate increases with a happy face, presumably because the utility pays a bunch of money to them for feel-good advertising. Average water rates will jump $5 a month, or 20%, to $30. The utility claims the money is needed for $100 million in infrastructure improvements. But remember, you're getting all sorts of cost savings after Citizens Energy bought the water utility from the City for an inflated price to fund Ballard's sidewalks for votes scam. And of course the City bought the utility for an inflated prices from NiSource. But, hey, it's a public benefit utility so cheer up.
That's not the half of it. There's still that gigantic rate increase for sewage fees hanging over our heads. Another 31% hike in sewer bills is looming that will hike the average monthly bills from $35 to $47 next year. Mayor Joe Hogsett plans to hold a press conference with Citizens Energy officials to announce plans for completing that big dig project that has enriched the usual cast of pay-to-play contractors who make six-figure campaign contributions to politicians like Hogsett. They'll put lipstick on that pig and the media will spew it all back to us verbatim without any critical analysis. This is what happens when you have a state utility regulator run by nothing but political hacks who don't give a damn about the public they're supposed to represent and who allow these thieves to rob us blind.
Critical analysis is a bit like critical thinking? Lost in the adjectives is that they are unnecessary additions. For duh Star one would reasonably settle for analysis or thinking but duh Star provides neither. I'm told that there were many contemporaries who knew and wrote about the decline of Rome when it was occurring. I imagine Star employees capable of thought must have that same, sinking apprehension as duh Star disintegrates.
ReplyDeleteWhen you read the central Indiana sales pitch, our low cost of living (aka cheapiness) is never far from the top of reasons to move your home or business here. Unfortunately, it's just no longer the case and very quickly becoming less so. It's relatively easy to see why someone might pay $300,000 for a bungalow near downtown Denver, but prices are approaching that just north of downtown here now. Who in their right mind would pay that kind of money to live in a mostly abandoned neighborhood just north of an urban core that is bleeding jobs, especially knowing that every time they turn around their utility and tax rates are going to rise? It's mind boggling. At some point it becomes unsustainable. I suspect that point is close.
ReplyDeleteA bungalow near Denver is 500k and above. 300k would be a steal.
DeleteEnd the monopoly power of these thieves and their revolving door "regulator" satraps. As much as it pains me to say it, the pure socialism of municipal ownership is better than the fascism imposed by these crony monopolists. I'm talking to all of you, including Duke "Edwardsport" Energy.
ReplyDeleteIndy's cost of living is & has been on the increase- not good!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly, Gary.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post Gary! I have a proposal for you and all of your readers. You have done a fine job of exposing the corruption in this state. And thanks to you, Paul Ogden and others Lugar can no longer decompose in the senate. We need to keep exposing these disgusting schemes, but at the same time we should continue to highlight profiles in courage such as Mike Delph and Christine Scales. We need to keep badgering the press and lawmakers until they are so afraid of the citizenery that they have to at least scale back this insanity!
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