Councilman calls for tea party in wake of higher electricity costs
New rates to begin Feb. 1
By Lee Raynor
Editor
Posted: 12:18 AM EST Wednesday January 18, 2006
Saying it’s time for Kinston to hold a tea party, Councilman Joe Tyson cast the only vote against an electric rate increase Monday as council members listened to reasons why residents will be paying more to turn on their lights, dry their clothes and keep warm.
Residential rates will see an 8.4 percent increase beginning Feb. 1. The cost of electricity will be 10.998 cents per kilowatt-hour during winter (November through June), and 12.41 cents per kilowatt-hour during summer (July through October).
Public Works Director Scott Stevens said the February increase will be the only significant rise in rates for the next five years, although small increases – 1 or 2 percent – could become necessary.
The cost latest increase is necessary because of ever-increasing costs of coal and natural gas, Stevens said.
ElectriCities’ headquarters office, in Raleigh, won’t be looking at a similar increase. The company buys its own electricity from Progress Energy. Progress also is expected to raise its rates but that company’s customers still will be seeing significantly lower costs than those of ElectriCities.
City Manager Ralph Clark said “everything has gone up,” naming as examples gasoline, heating fuels and milk.
Everything has not gone up,” Tyson replied. “Salaries have not gone up commensurate with the rates.”
Tyson, after the meeting, said residents are asking what the city has done to lower costs, what happened to deregulation and what are the chances of the city getting out of the electric business.
His “no” vote was his tea party, Tyson said.
“Enough is enough,” he said. “I don’t think we’re getting all the alternatives that are out there. What have we done in the city to put some money back into the General Fund to lower the rates? That’s what people ask. What are the alternatives? We don’t get a lot.”
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