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Lebanese children have been displaced; hospital facility fees have cost Colorado patients $13 billion; and a Wyoming county without a hospital is finally getting one.

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Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas warns about false claims affecting FEMA's hurricane relief, Vice President Harris prepares for a Fox News interview, and local Democrats want more election funds in key states.

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Hurricane Helene devastated the Appalachians and some rural towns worry larger communities could get more attention, ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month gets mixed reviews, and New York farmers are earning extra money feeding school kids.

NYers uneasy about Central Hudson rate increase

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Wednesday, May 29, 2024   

New Yorkers are uneasy about Central Hudson Gas & Electric getting a rate increase.

It comes amid a Public Service Commission investigation into long-standing overbilling practices and glitches in a new billing system. Commission reports show it had catastrophic consequences for customers.

Rosemary DaCruz, operations and administrative coordinator for the group Communities for Local Power, said community members overwhelmingly oppose the rate hike.

"The public hearings were full of stories of community members who experienced overbilling, confusing bills, multiple bills a day," DaCruz observed. "I myself was issued over 20 bills in one day in like adjustments, that I had no clue how to decipher and the reports of billing errors are still continuing."

Residents feel Central Hudson should not get a rate increase until the company provides accurate bills. A December 2022 report showed Central Hudson employees notified company leaders about avoidable billing system transition issues. However, the report concluded negligent and reckless action by decision-makers led to disaster for many customers.

Statewide energy bills are only growing this year, reaching their highest rates this month. Many utility companies are seeking rate increases as energy supply prices and inflation go up.

DaCruz feels the funds Central Hudson is looking for are not for things the company needs.

"They were arguing for a climate resiliency surcharge, arguing that all the work that they have to do to comply with the climate laws is something they need money for," DaCruz pointed out. "Which shouldn't be the case when they should actually be saving money by transitioning to electricity."

Several bills are designed to reduce ratepayer costs for climate change adaptation. Both the Climate Change Superfund and New York HEAT Acts shift much of the financial burden to utility companies and large-scale polluters. Both bills passed the Senate and await further action by the Assembly.


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