20051114Comments.pdf

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12 November 2005
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Idaho Public Utilities Commission
P. O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83729-0074
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PROBLEM #1
Falls Water just had a rate increase just last year-why another increase and so drastic so
soon? I complained about the last increase and will do so again about this one. Since I
am on a limited low income budget, I cannot afford such a drastic increase, especially
during the summer months when they plan to cut the allotted usage more than half in
addition to raising the over-use rates. Many of us just cannot afford this type of increase.
This sounds like "greed" to me.
PROBLEM #2
The other problem is lona Bonneville Sewer District (which is considered a utility), but
they answer to no one. They are planning a substantial rate hike for 2006 without a
public hearing. They have raised their rates every year for the past 5 years with no prior
notice until the bill comes in late December/early January. They post a notice of their
meeting agenda on the door of their office after 5:00 p.m. the day before the meeting, but
do not mention exactly what is going to be on that agenda.
There is no accountability for income and expenditures. I personally would like to see a
financial statement from the board members-most of whom live in lona (which
represents only about 20% of the sewer district). Favors are being done for their
neighbors like bending the rules for sewer hook up for new homes and length of time
before payments begin.. What about the rest of us in the remaining 80% of the district?
All other utilities have to notify their patrons in advance of a rate hike in advance plus
notify us about a public hearing regarding such matters. Why doesn t the sewer district
have to?
Please consider my opinions concerning these two matters as I speak for many people..
Thank you.
Marilyn Heed
3265 Garnet St.
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
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Jay E. White
273 Creighton Way
Idaho Falls ill 834~~
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November 10, 2005
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Idaho Public Utilities Commission
PO Box 83720
Boise, ill 83720-0074
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Dear IPUC
We sent an e-mail to you yesterday and we decided to follow it up with a "snail mail" just
in case our e-mail accidentally gets lost in cyber space. Our e-mail basically said:
We vehemently oppose the 64% increase in our water bill being proposed by Falls
Water. Consumers have just taken a big hit on the price of gasoline and that will affect
virtually everything we purchase. This is proposed increase is both outrageous and
unfair! We re forced to live without a 64% increase in OUR budget. Falls Water can
tighten their belt for a while longer just like we have to do!"
We can understand a reasonable increase based on the CPI but a 64% increase? That is
absolutely ridiculous! Our income increased by a mere 2.3% last year. What does Falls
Water expect us to do? Quit watering our lawn altogether?
Hey, on second thought, that's not such a bad idea. We could raise a couple of goats and
instead of watering and mowing our lawn, we could let them eat the weeds. In the fall
we could sell them and pay for the increase on the water we d normally use for drinking,
washing our clothes, and bathing.
Seriously, gentlemen, we urge you to deny this request! Otherwise, we ll go directly to
our elected officials.
Dennis & Terry Sievers
3265 E. Bergeson Drive
Idaho Falls, Idaho
83401 ../4~
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Marilyn Parker
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Front
Thursday, November 10, 2005 11:43 AM
Marilyn Parker
FW: Complaint acknowledgement
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Howell
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 10: 58
To: Front bev barker0puc. idaho. gov Ed Howell
Subj ect: Complaint acknowledgement
Tonya Clark
WNW Form Submission:
Thursday, November 10, 2005
10:58:01 AM
Name: Misty Hulet
Street Address: 530 Crimson Drive
City: Idaho Falls
State: Idaho
ZIP: 83401
Home Telephone: [phone]
Wor k - Te lephone :
E-Mail:
Home Business: Home
Business Name:
Business Street Address:
Business Phone:
Complaint Company: Falls Water
Local Provider: 522-1300
Contacted utility: yes
Complaint description: To Whom It May Concern:
It has come to my attention that Falls Water has put in a request to increase rates. I
feel that $12.75 a month is resonable but the $15.50 for the winter is ridicules due to
the fact that no one uses that much water in the winter so why be charged for water that
is not being used? The decrease in gallons would be reasonable if it was not dropped more
than half. Do to the fact where I live I already pay $24.00 dollars for sewer through
D., I pay an average of $14.00 dollars a month for grabage, and average of $100.
dollars to $200.00 a month for Utah Power. Due to all the Utilities increase I will be
paying alot more than City of Idaho Falls. Out here in Cloverdale we are consider part of
Idaho Falls so there for I feel that I should not have to pay more for my utili ties.
Transaction 10: 11101058.
Referred by: http: I Iwww.puc. state. id. usl scripts/polyform. dIll consUser Address: 4.254.216.111
User Hostname: 4.254.216.111
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Jean Jewell
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Sunday, November 13, 2005 11 :48 AM
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WNW Form Submission:
Sunday, November 13, 2005
11:48:28 AM
Case:
Name: Jim Waite
Street Address: 635 Butterfly Dr
City: Idaho Falls
State: ID
ZIP: 83401
Home Telephone: [phone]E-Mail: jbrrwaite0juno.com
Company: Falls Water Companymailinglistyesno: &es~
Comment description: Falls Water Company in Idaho Falls is proposing a 64.7% rateincrease. In an era of annual adjusted inflation around the 2%-4% for the last decade
(except for the recent petrolium-industry gouging), why does Falls Water Company need a48.2% increase in total revenues? We in the public arena do not see salaries increasing
anywhere near these proposed rate levels. It seems extravagent, particularly because
their notice of rate increase letter did not indicate a particular reason for the
increase, so I am very much opposed to this proposed rate, and hope you will be as well.PROTECT THE VOICELESS LITTLE PEOPLE WHO BEAR THE BRUNT OF TAXES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE!Thank you.
Jim Waite
Transaction ID: 11131148.Referred by: http: I Iwww.puc. state. id. usl scripts/polyform. dIll ipucUser Address: 63.24.102.214User Hostname: 63.24.102.214
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Jean Jewell
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Saturday, November 12, 2005 10:40 PM
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WNW Form Submission:
Saturday, November 12, 2005
10:40:06 PM
Case: 1272 1 AV 0.278
Name: Bonnie Cook
Street Address: 4747 E Madison River Road
Ci ty: Idaho Falls
State: 10
ZIP: 83401
Home Telephone: [phone]
E-MaIl: bonniepaget10hotmail. com
Company: Falls Water Companymailinglistyesno:
Comment - de script ion: To Whom It May Concern:
As a retired senior citizen on a fixed income, we are very concerned about the proposedprice increase in our water costs. This is not in our budget or within our financialabili ties. We have many concerns:
1. Why do we have a proposed increase of 64.7% for metered residents and only a 10.
increase for non-metered residents? WHAT IS FAIR ABOUT THAT???
2. Falls Water has had at least 2 instances of contaminated water this year. Throwingmore money at this will not solve the problem. Chlorine is not that expensive.3. With the rapid growth in the Ammon area, more money will be infused into the Falls
Water Company without extreme price increases.4. Why is Idaho Falls able to charge a flat rate of approximately $11.00 a month yearround and provide safe water to all residents?
Looking forward to hearing from you regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Paget
Transaction 10: 11122240.
Referred by: http: I Iwww.puc. state. id. usl scripts/polyform. dIll ipucUser Address: 67.129.138.User Hostname: 67.129.138.
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Jean Jewell
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Thursday, November 10 200510:15 PM
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WNW Form Submission:
Thursday, November 10, 2005
10: 14 : 30
Case: FLS-W-05-01
Name: Stormi Willcoxon
Street Address: 3079 Larson Or
City: Idaho Falls
State: Idaho
ZIP: 83401
Home Telephone: [phone]
E-Mail: Stormi197 90cableone. net
Company: Falls Watermailinglistyesno:
Comment description: We are opposed to the rate increase. We feel that as is the rates are
not satisfactory. We pay the same amount monthly if we go under the 20,000 gallons butmore if we go over. I f that be the case then we should be compensated for what we donuse during the winter. For instance the first month we were in our home was not a full
month and we paid approximately $15.00. However for the month of October we only used
approximately 12 000 gallons and still paid the monthly minimum of $11.50. With nocompensation for the unused 8,000 gallons. Therefore like previously stated the rate
increase is unsatisfactory due to the lack of compensation of the already unused. Alsothat they know how many gallons of water we use and they want to raise ours by 64.7% andthe un-metered they are only wanting to raise by 10%. We fill that this is also unfair
due to the knowledge that they have on our bill. As far as the usage for the summer goes
we feel we have no other choice than to water our yards during the summer. We do not havethe option to have any other resource for this water to do this. Therefore not watering
our yard would end up being what would happen. Having only 8,000 gallons per month if youare lucky is maybe enough to do your laundry, take showers and use the toilet. So how canthis be a fair increase? I could understand if they were trying to put a dollar or two
raise but any more than that we feel is unjust.
Transaction 10: 11102214.
Referred by: http: / /www.puc. state. id. us/ scripts/polyform. dll/ ipucUser Address: 24.116.168.204User Hostname: 24.116.168.204
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Jean Jewell
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Wednesday, November 09, 2005 5:22 PM
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WNW Form Submission:
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
5: 22: 26
Case:
Name: Dennis & Terry Sievers
Street Address: 3265 E. Bergeson Drive
City: Idaho Falls
State: 10
ZIP: 83401
Home Telephone: [phone]
E-Mail: campdude7~netzero. net
Company: Falls Water
mailing list yes no:
Comment description: vehemently oppose the 64% increase in our water bill being
proposed by Falls Water. Consumers have just taken a big hit on the price of gasoline and
that will effect virtually everything we purchase. This is proposed increase is both
outrageous and unfair! We re forced to live without a 64 % increase in OUR budget. Falls
Water can tighten their belt for a while longer just like we have to do!
Dennis L. Sievers
Transaction 10: 1191722.
Referred by: http: / /www.puc. state. id. us/scripts/polyform. dll/ipucUser Address: 64.136.26.227
User Hostname: 64.136.26.227
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Jean Jewell
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From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ed Howell
Friday, November 11 , 2005 11 :01 AM
Jean Jewell; Ed Howell; Gene Fadness; Tonya Clark
Comment acknowledgement
WWW Form Submission:
Friday, November 11, 2005
11:01:19 AM
Case: Falls Water Co proposed rate increase
Name: Jennifer Wright
Street Address: 521 Maurine
Ci ty: Idaho Falls
State: 10
ZIP: 83401
Home Telephone: [phone]E-Mail:
Company: Falls Water
mailing list yes no:
Comment descriptIon: aIls Water Co has filed an application with the IPUC for a general
rate increase. The proposed increase would increase total revenues by 48.2%, in my mindthat is a huge increase, one that will break the bank for a lot of people. After Katrina
most households are going to be hurt with already increased fuel prices and feeling the
effects of the econimic slow-down, an increase of this size could mean the difference
between dinner and a shower to some people. I understand that some increase is necessary,
but 48.2 seem really drastic for a one time rate increase. Ten or fifteen pre cent would bemore realistic and wouldn t result such a strain for the customers.
I hope that you will take into consideration the current situation of many customers and
reject Falls Water Co.' s application or consider a more reasonable rate increase.
Thank you,
Jennifer Wright
Transaction 10: 11111101.Referred by: http: I Iwww. puc. state. id. usl scripts/polyform. dIll ipucUser Address: 69.51.118.
User Hostname: 69.51.118.