20210401Boise City Comments.pdf

April0l ,2021
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
MAYOR: Lauren McLean I DIRECTOR, Stephan Burgos
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Ms. Jon Noriyuki, Commission Secretory
ldoho Public Utilities Commission
I l33l W. Chinden Boulevord - Building 8, Suite 201-A
Boise, lD 83714
SUBJECT: ldoho Public Utilities Commission Cose #lNT-G-21-02;Written Comments
(S u b mitte d Eleclr o nic olly)
Deor Ms. Noriyuki,
The City of Boise ("City") submits the following commenls on lntermountoin Gos's
opplicotion for continued defenql of Western Union customer poyment tronsoction
costs. The City recommends the Commission extend the outhority gronted in Order No.
34099 to continue deferring to o regulotory osset the cosls ossocioted with in-person
customer poyment tronsoctions hondled by Western Union ond continue to ollow the
recovery of these costs through the Purchosed Gos Adjustment.
An estimoted 4.9% of households in Boise ore unbonked, locking occess to o checking
or sovings occount, up from 2.6%in 2015. Additionolly, more lhon 7% of households ore
underbonked, relying on costly olternotive finonciolservices (2019 FDIC Survey of
Household Use of Bonking ond FinonciolServices). lt is criticol for customers without
relioble occess to troditionolfinonciolservices to hove convenient, sofe, ond
offordoble options to poy their residentiol noturol gos bills. The City recognizes the effort
ond importonce lntermountoin Gos hos ploced on being ovoiloble lo customers
through their website, phone, ond moilings os wellos o commitment to poyment
flexibility during the COVID-19 pondemic. Alternotive poyment methods help ensure
equitoble occess to ond mointenonce of utility services.
ln light of the unprecedented economic situotion mony households experienced over
the post 12 months ond the increosing proportion of customers locking occess to
checking ond sovings occounls, the City recommends the Commission toke the
necessory steps to ensure in-person bill poyment tronsoctions of Western Union continue
uninterrupted untilcosts con be ossessed of lntermountoin Gos's next role cose.
lf you hove ony questions or need odditionol informotion, pleose contoct the Climote
Action Division of the Deportment of Public Works ot (208) 608-7.l50.
cc: Lori Blottner, lntermountoin Gos
Preston Corter, Givens Pursley
Kendro Hoffmon, Givens Pursley
EOISE CITY I{ALL:15O N Capitol Boulevard I MAIL, p.O Box 5ClO Borse. ldal-ro 83701 O5OO I P,2O8 608 7l5O I F, 2O8 584-3905 I TDD/TTY,8OO 377.352Q
BOlSEClTYCOUNClL,ElaineClegg(President) LisaSinchez(PresidentPrc, Iem),PatrickBageant Jirnmyllallyf:urton.T.JThon,son l{olliWoodrngs
C ITYOFBO ISE.O RG/PU BLICWO R KS