Avista Rate Increase

[G M <herecomestheflood@yahoo.com>]

I invite you to join me in e-mailing the Idaho Public
Utilities Commission to protest Avista Corporation's
proposed 15% rate increase.  

I believe there are many sound reasons for opposing
this increase.  Avista is justifying the size of the
increase by claiming that they haven't had a rate hike
for a long time (I don't recall the number of years -
it's on their little notice they included in our
billings a couple months ago).  My contention is that
it is not the customer's fault they haven't gradually
increased rates if needing to do so, thereby leading
to this whopping hike.

I also have a problem with the increase in salary and
bonus/stock options of Avista's new CEO (as pointed
out in a recent Daily News letter-to-the-editor).

And what about closing the local WWP/Avista office and
firing local employees...then raising rates?!

Even with the slick new (scary) commercials Avista is
running on television (Avista "SWAT Team" etc.) I'm
not convinced this corporation can justify swelling
their bottom line.  As far as I can tell Avista has a
monopoly on delivering electricity to this area. 
There should be a responsibility that goes along with
that monopolistic privelage:  to deliver power to our
homes and businesses at the absolute lowest rate
possible.  If that means, holding down executives'
salaries, cutting back on tv commercial campaigns and
sponsorships of assorted events and activities in the
region, then that is what should happen.

E-mail address for IPUC:  ipuc@puc.state.id.us

The deadline for comments is fast approaching.


Greg Meyer
Moscow


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