CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission is calling on state lawmakers to intervene and put the brakes on rampant increases in West Virginia Utility bills. The Commission this week penned a letter to members of the Kanawha County Delegation for some kind of legislation which would hold the line on those constant hikes in bills for water, gas, and electricity.
“Your electric bill has gone up 200 percent in the past 15 years. People complain about egg costs right now, eggs would cost five dollars each. It is unaffordable,” said Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper.
The Kanawha County Commission has repeatedly challenged increases in utility bills before the state Public Service Commission, but Carper said their challenges haven’t gained much traction. He hoped lawmakers would be able to have more success to rein in the costs.
“Your electric bill will explode. The gas bill, the Public Service Commission recently stated you’re going to have sticker shock when you see your gas bill. That’s what the Public Service Commission said! Plus your water bill has doubled in the last five years,” Carper said on 580-Live on MetroNews Affiliate WCHS Radio.
Carper said the constant hikes and increases come with very little opposition because nobody wants to challenge the powerful lobbyists who represent the utilities. He hoped they have finally gained some legs in their opposition. The Commission sought two things in any bill which might come from the correspondence.
The commission would like to see a cap placed on any rate increases for any utility. They’d also like to see a requirement for a public hearing in which lawmakers conduct an actual probe into what is happening with utility bills.
“It is the ‘hidden tax.’ It’s a dirty little secret and people just can’t afford it,” said Carper.