STATE SENATORS STEWART-COUSINS AND MAYER CALL ON PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO STOP CON ED RATE HIKES IN WAKE OF WHOPPER BILLS IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
WPCNR THE POWER STORY. Statement from State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins (35th Senate District) and State Senator Shelley Mayer(37th Senate District. February 22, 2022:
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and State Senator Shelley B. Mayer sent a joint letter today to Consolidated Edison and the Public Service Commission demanding that recent rate increases be suspended and other measures be taken to mitigate the impact of the dramatic jump seen in Con Edison ratepayers’ bills.
“We have grave concerns about the financial shock these high costs will have for our constituents and others across New York State,” said the Senators in their letter. “The rise in charges will result in serious challenges for many New Yorkers, particularly those already struggling to make ends meet.”
Recent spikes in energy prices coinciding with a planned rate increase approved by the Public Service Commission have resulted in some ratepayers’ bills more than doubling between December 2021 and January 2022. Both Senators had opposed the planned rate increase.
In the letter, the Senators said the “situation is unacceptable” and called on the Public Service Commission and Con Edison to take immediate action to provide relief to ratepayers.
“Both the Public Service Commission and Con Edison have a responsibility to ratepayers, and such dramatic and unexpected cost increases demand action on your part in order to fulfill that responsibility,” the Senators wrote.
CON ED PROFIT: $1.5 BILLION. WHY SHOULD THEY GET A RATE INCREASE? PAUL FEINER GREENBURGH TOWN SUPERVISOR ASKS
WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. February 22, 2022:
Dear Editor
Why should Con Ed be allowed to raise our rates while reporting obscene profits that exceeded $1.5 billion dollars in 2021? The company has $63 million in assets.
In recent days I have received numerous complaints from Greenburgh residents who are shocked at the enormous Con Ed bills we all are being asked to pay.
Bills are at an all time high
There is no end in sight for the high Con Ed bills we can expect to receive.
Con Ed plans an additional 11.2% increase in electric rates next year and an 18.2% increase in gas bills in 2023.
I believe that the New York State Legislature should pass legislation directing the Public Service Commission not to approve large rate hikes when the company is reporting excessive profits.
Let Con Ed shareholders profit less so customers could have more affordable utility bills.
Profits of Con Ed should be an important factor that determines the rates Con Ed charges us.
I will be reaching out to the PSC, the Governor and to area Legislators. Please join me in contacting your lawmakers!
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
A GREAT WEEK IN COVID: NEW PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID BELOW 1,000 FOR IN WESTCHESTER FOR FIRST TIME SINCE MID-SEPTEMBER.
The 886 cases were lower since that week in September when Westchester infections were averaging 139 new cases. This week February 13 to February 20, the county averaged 126 new cases a day.
WPCNR COVID MONITOR. From the New York Covid Tracker. Analysis by John F. Bailey. February 22, 2022:
WESTCHESTERITES DID A GREAT JOB LAST WEEK IN TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.
WESTCHESTER FROM SUNDAY THE 13TH THROUGH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20 SAW 886 PERSONS TEST POSITIVE WITH NEW CASES OF COVID .
THAT IS AN AVERAGE OF 126 NEW CASES A DAY. THE TOTAL OF 886 CASES IS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF NEW CASES SINCE THE TOTAL OF 973 CASES THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 19-25 BEFORE THE FOURTH WAVE OF COVID BEGAN IN THE FIRST 3 WEEKS OF DECEMBER.
LAST WEEK MARKED THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEEK OF CONSISTENT DECLINES IN NEW PERSONS TESTING POSITIVE DESPITE THIS REPORTER’S FEARS OF A POST SUPERBOWL SPREAD.
THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY SAW WESTCHESTER REPORT 1,803 NEW CASES; THE SECOND, 1,208. THIS WEEK THREE OF FEBRUARY DECLINED TO 886, UNDER 1,000 CASES WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE NOVEMBER 7 TO 13 WHEN THE COUNTY RECORDED 751 CASES
LOOKING AT THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY COVID TRACKER, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THROUGH FEBRUARY 17, THE MOST CASES ARE IN THE LARGEST CITIES, YONKERS 399 31 NEW CASES A DAY THE LAST TWO WEEKS, NEW ROCHELLE 216, 21 NEW CASES DAILY AND WHITE PLAINS, 160, 13 NEW CASES DAILY
ACCORDING TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY TRACKER , THE AREAS OF THE COUNTY FINISHING THE 10 HEAVIEST NEW CASE AREAS ARE MT. VERNON, 136, 11 CASES A DAY; THEN CONCERN HAS TO BE ABOUT THE SPREAD IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, YORKTOWN HAD 153 ACTIVE CASES, SPREADING AT 17 NEW CASES A DAY. CORTLANDT, 119 CASES, 8 NEW CASES A DAY; THE TARRYTOWNS, 96 CASES, 4 NEW CASES DAILY; HARRISON 96, 5 NEW CASES DAILY MT. PLEASANT 93 CASES, SPREADING AT 3 NEW CASES A DAY AND THE RYES 85 ACTIVE CASES, 85, 7 NEW CASES A DAY.
TODAY THOSE NUMBERS (ALWAYS FLUCTUATING DAY BY DAY) WERE LOWER. HERE IS HOW THEY LOOKED TODAY THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, CITY BY CITY, TOWN BY TOWN:
Though active cases have dropped the last 4 days, it should be noted that Yorktown, Cortlandt, MOUNT PLEASANT, NORTH AND NEW CASTLE, SLEEPY HOLLOW AND TARRYTOWN AND THE CITIES ARE AREAS WITH WORRISOME NUMBER OF NEW DAILY CASES ( SECOND FIGURE IN THE WPCNR, COVIDSTOPPERS NOTEBOOK. LOOKING AT THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY SATURDAY FIGURES, THE COUNTY HAD JUST 58 NEW CASES SATURDAY; THE MID-HUDSON REGION HAD JUST 174 AND NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES WERE DOWN SUBSTANTIALLY.
WESTCHESTER, THE 6 OTHER MID-HUDSON REGION COUNTIES AND NASSAU AND SUFFOLK HAD 69% OF THE NUMBER CASES OF ALL OF NEW YORK CITY (not accounting for 70% of all of New York City cases)
SO COVID IS STILL OUT THERE. TESTING FIGURES WERE DOWN THE LAST WEEK. AND THIS WEEK IS A SCHOOL VACATION WEEK AND MARCH BRINGS FOLLOWED BY MARCH MADNESS, PARADES AND SCHOOLS BACK FOR 4 WEEKS OF 5-DAY SCHOOL WEEKS.