20070615Comment.pdf

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" i88:i';i Junell,2007
Idaho Public Utilities i'.
472 W. Washington
Boise, Idaho 83702
Commissioners; "
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' Well; ain't this special? We just had a 20% raise in our electric rates June 1 and
nowIdahoPoweriswantingover4%more?!
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The excuse is that there is low water and cost of power is higher from gas and
coal. However wasn t that what the, 20% waste cover? They complaiti about
development needing more lines and. plants. Instead of saying "NO" to indiscriminate
development they go right along for more money.
They are charging people extra to sign up for "green" power which of course is a
hoax because the power can t he divided up into "dirty" and "green . They pay
exorbitant amounts for some irrigators to shut off the irrigation pumps. And they also pay
overly high prices to small producers of power to enter the grid. Perhaps this practice
ought to be brought more into line with the true value of the power brought on line from
small producers who have excess power to sell.
I protest the constant increase in costs for a commodity people need unless they
can live in a cave. Most have no well for water and here an old fashioned pump would
not work. We cannot burn coal or wood to cook or heat our homes because it pollutes too
, much, especially in a city environment. One can hardly communicate with a business
without a phone and most are trying to force everyone onto the internet too.
I suggest that business executives, who are getting pay completely out of line with
what they do, tighten their belt just like those who are working poor and on fixed income
have to do. Some to the point that we may not be able to eat, heat or cool our homes, buy
medicines and certainly can t pay for health care.
Myself! am on fixed income and unable to work fast enough to suit anyone
anymore. So this month I have been hit with a $2.75 raise on my phone for it to sit there
plus charges for intrastate long distance that I never use. A 20% electric increase, which I
can t compensate for anymore. I burn one light at night, none doing the day like my
neighbors who all around me burn lights day and night inside and outside. I cook less
than before using microwave to reheat things. I had my air conditioner on May 3rd as I
could not cool the house by opening the doors and windows as I have been doing all
along. My neighbors have run their AlC continually since April and the rest of us have to
pay for the waste. I watch TV as my only source of information in the evening for the
news. I use the typewriter of my computer to write letters, as my writing is poor and then
turn it off. And hate to even use it. So I can t cut much more unless I go live in the street
as no caves are conveniently nearby.
Of course, we are paying highway robbery gas prices with the governments
blessing so that Exxon can build refineries for the Chinese off the American consumers
back. Yet they say there is not enough refinery capacity here in the U. S. If so, then why
are they using our money to build for foreigners and not here??? So I now get to go to
the grocery store twice a month and go to doctor visits at the V A as scheduled. I can
even afford to go to the library as I used to. So I get to live alone as I can t even afford a
dog now because hurtlan and pet food increases constantly. And medicines increase in
cost nearly every 3'months for old medicines, again with the governments' blessing
And add to that they have increased my property taxes nearly 19% AGAIN. They
have increased our taxes here every year for the last 4 years even though there are no
improvements and the house is considered old.
BUT I AM EXPECTED TO ABSORB ALL COSTS BUT GET NO RAISE TO
COVER IT. I say it is time for overpriced executives to take reduced pay. If many of us
are expected to live on $8 000.00 to $10 000.00 a year I see no reason why they can t live
just fine on $250 000.00/year. (Well, well, I see an article in the Sunday Statesmanthat
illustrates my point very nicely. Copy enclosed.
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I say that no further increase over .the 20% is needed in our electric rates. They
have promised to build a plant. They were hyping a fuel cell to generate power to save
costs but apparently that is all hot air.
Sincerely,
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Mrs. Walt Hickstein
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