20250502Comment_1.pdf

The following comment was submitted via PUCWeb:
Name: Patricia Parr
Submission Time: May 1 2025 10:10PM
Email: trishparr1 @hotmail.com
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 1000 RIDLEY VILLAGE RD#12
SANDPOINT, ID 83864
Name of Utility Company: AVISTA
Case ID: 8VU-E-25-01
Comment: "Letter to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Dear Commission Board:
I am a Sandpoint, Idaho resident and paying utilities to Avista.
It has come to my attention in speaking to an Avista supervisor, (regarding the surprising
$15 flat rate fee added to my bill), that Avista went to your commission board to ask
permission to implement a $15 flat rate charge regardless of whether you are using utilities
or not. What were you thinking? Because it wasn't the customers.
Is that all Avista has to do? Just go and ask for a price hike for who knows what? Where's
the customer consent? Shouldn't that be on ballot of some sort? Don't we pay enough in
taxes to run the state and infrastructure? Maybe I don't understand all the complexities of
governing and infrastructure and utilities of a state...but this isn't right and you should know
it is vehemently opposed. I'll pay every bit of the utilities I use...and not a penny more. I will
not pay that$15.
Through the conversation, the representative explained that Avista also services the state
of Washington and Oregon as well, but that those states actually base whether the charge
is implemented, based upon a persons level of income.
Why are you not taking into account, low income demographics; people living in subsidized
housing on fixed incomes? You have no subsidy waivers for low income demographics as
there are in Washington or Oregon....why has Idaho not done this like you are doing in
Washington and Oregon? I asked the representative as much. Do you not care? Do you
think Idaho has a high socioeconomic population that can easily afford it and a higher
population to increase your bottom line?

People have been destroyed...diminished through circumstances involving Covid and
inflating prices of everything...gas, food,vital services that are all necessary for daily living.
Aren't you aware? The last 4 years of other irresponsible federal crap thrown at the
American public have displaced thousands from homes, including our Vets displaced by
illegal insurgents. They killed and maimed thousands through vaccines, destroyed
families, and ended or crushed businesses that have still not recovered. And you further
implement something like this without regard to any of these ? What's the matter with you
people? This isn't wanted government or caring about its people. This is about money.
And it's going in someone's pocket.
What are you thinking Idaho...that everyone here has the income? Every dime counts in this
terrible inflationary economy...and paying for something I'm not getting anything for is not
something I or other people are willing or able to do. That's $15 for more gas, more food,
health care or actual utilities we're using.
My income is $500 below the poverty level on SSDI. Utilities are a required necessity for
Living...for cooking and bathing, for surviving and comfort in high summer temperatures/air-
conditioning and heat for low temperatures in winter. It's necessary for other technology,
for work and just keeping a cell phone charged.
I am adamantly and vehemently opposed to any such flat rate tax, which is what it is. It's
time for people to stop accepting these indiscriminate implementations snuck into our
bills without explanation or any real transparency or need....for whatever reason you come
up with...and it's time to start saying no.
You rein in your budgets. You stop your bonuses. You stop your raises. Your so-called
equipment upgrading. THAT is a business expenditure and is calculated in taxes as write
offs, and financial management. Govt subsidies can be made. We're now saving millions
in fraudulent spending and waste. You can apply for it. It should not to be passed onto the
customer.
We pay enough in taxes and you can just rein in your spending, as well as these unknown
projects that money is funneled to...because until it is laid out and broken down as to
exactly where this is going and is transparent and verifiable, I'm not paying a dime beyond
the utilities that I use.
I demand that you stop this what seems to me a fraudulent, unreasonable and unexplained
fee. It's a kin to taxation without representation and you know what happened with that in
1773. We are not going to stand for this constant raising of living necessities, whether it's
gas, eggs, or utilities.

That is my stance, and I know I speak for most everyone else of lower income and anyone
else concerned with proper financial management of state and federal governing. I wonder
if DOGE would be interested in investigating the financial management of utilities around
the US. We should not be paying these ridiculous costs for our existence. I DO NOT
CONSENT."
Respectfully,
Trish Parr
Sandpoint, Idaho
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