Utility assessment fees may increase

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - Many of you have been telling News 4 your concerns about the struggling economy. One viewer contacted News4 to say they are worried their ulility bills may be going up because of an increased fee in Governor David Paterson's budget.

Most of us get a number of utility bills, and we all pay utility assessment fees.

Did you know that if the governor gets his way, that fee may be going up?

Joe Hughes said, "To me, it's a hidden tax, and I don't believe in hidden taxes."

Hughes is a retired Amherst resident. He spoke out after learning that the governor wants to raise $651 million dollars this year by tripling the rate of the utility assessment fee.

Hughes said, "It's excessive the amount of increase. It's one third of one percent, now one percent; that's a 200 percent increase."

"I looked at these; six dollars a month. That's 72 dollars a year. Under new system, $220 a year."

Small business owners including Cathy McGovern of the Trillium's Courtyard are also concerned.

A fee increase would tack an extra few hundred dollars a year on each bill, at a time when everyone is struggling.

McGovern said, "Just in the flower business, we've been affected by increase in gas, the cost of flowers is up."
"So we've had to pass the increase onto our customer, which we don't like to do."

Enlisting utilities as tax collectors for the government is nothing new.

Tom Ranallo works with businesses to cut energy costs, and says the governor's plan doesn't make sense.

Troy & Banks Energy Consultant Tom Ranallo said, "My concern is energy prices are going to increase when we should be looking to decrease."

Lawmakers will soon take up the issue. At this time, few seemed to know much about it.

Senator Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo) said, "I think the first step is the governor submitted the budget. There are a lot of things people like and don't like and we'll look at it as we receive concerns from people."

Levying these hidden taxes may be easy politically, but for regular folks, they add up especially when it comes to paying for utilities.

Lawmakers in Albany wrapped up budget hearings just Thursday. Conference committee meetings begin next week.

Elected officials want to hear from you. So if this is your worry too, contact them as soon as possible.