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sinkingfeeling

(51,274 posts)
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 11:41 AM Dec 2018

Oh, the lies we're told! Got this in my natural gas bill this month.



The billing line reads: TaxCuts & JobsAct Adj. $118.87 @ -10.16% 12.08 CR

Now that's so nice until you compare this bill to last year's. The Dielivery Charge for 300 CCF went up from $.3289 to $.453182 this year. If my math is right that's an increase of 37%.

After my 10.16% credit, the delivery cost still was 26.84% higher than last year.

So, how does "Lower taxes lead to a lower cost of delivering energy to our customers..."?
28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Oh, the lies we're told! Got this in my natural gas bill this month. (Original Post) sinkingfeeling Dec 2018 OP
But but but THE GRAPHIC, as if people are so happy to get their bill ChubbyStar Dec 2018 #1
Here's the translation from bullshit to real: SCantiGOP Dec 2018 #10
They don't ask you to be stupid lunatica Dec 2018 #20
The thing is, you're assuming it's possible to read yur utility bill. planetc Dec 2018 #2
Hospital bill, cell phone, gas bill etc. none of them are understandable. Pepsidog Dec 2018 #6
When you spend 25 years in a bureaucracy reading these becomes second nature. padfun Dec 2018 #15
Well, your math skills are greater than the MAGAts UpInArms Dec 2018 #3
This is how it works jmowreader Dec 2018 #4
CALIFORNIA ELECTRIC POWER COST INCREASE ROB-ROX Dec 2018 #5
Oh if only we could get "hydroelectric power from damns"! Most of us have that to say .... Hekate Dec 2018 #9
Imagine how much energy we could get from real expletives. mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2018 #11
Sad to say, but we've lowered (heat) bill since * hauled his disgusting rear end into sprinkleeninow Dec 2018 #26
kilowatt-hours kiri Dec 2018 #18
That's a fun trick they play on the unsuspecting and gullible. calimary Dec 2018 #7
All I seem to hear about Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2018 #22
Welcome to 1984... PeeJ52 Dec 2018 #8
Your close ... aggiesal Dec 2018 #12
Isn't that the way? "Thx for helping us out in the energy crisis. sprinkleeninow Dec 2018 #27
Remember that. New England. One evening husband's parents came over beginning of crisis. sprinkleeninow Dec 2018 #28
Look at the happy couple! milestogo Dec 2018 #13
Yeah, As Long As You Can't Do Math ProfessorGAC Dec 2018 #14
in a plutocracy that gas company is your representative, your government elmac Dec 2018 #16
So why are those Black Hills Energy people smiling? FakeNoose Dec 2018 #17
The couple is looking at his erection, not at a gas bill. Nitram Dec 2018 #19
Lol! lunatica Dec 2018 #24
We have Black Hills too Omaha Steve Dec 2018 #21
Oh, so they're using the same math system as the Social Security Administration! Totally Tunsie Dec 2018 #23
And poor Paul Ryan has a sad that we even have that. lunatica Dec 2018 #25

ChubbyStar

(3,191 posts)
1. But but but THE GRAPHIC, as if people are so happy to get their bill
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 11:45 AM
Dec 2018

What a pants load, the graphic and the letter. Rubbish!

SCantiGOP

(13,855 posts)
10. Here's the translation from bullshit to real:
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:46 PM
Dec 2018

We really like what the tax cut did for our stockholders and our executive bonuses. Please be stupid enough to tell your elected officials that you will support paying for more tax cuts.

lunatica

(53,410 posts)
20. They don't ask you to be stupid
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:48 PM
Dec 2018

No such politeness. They just presume it. Pretending to be nice is simply the easy way to mollify their customers as they gauge them.

planetc

(7,716 posts)
2. The thing is, you're assuming it's possible to read yur utility bill.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 11:55 AM
Dec 2018

It's not, of course. On a scale of 1 to 100, in which 1="Very Hard to Understand" and 100="Crystal Clear," utility bills are about a -1.
There will be an explanation of line charges at their website. It will not help at all.

padfun

(1,780 posts)
15. When you spend 25 years in a bureaucracy reading these becomes second nature.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:59 PM
Dec 2018

I guess not having a real life pays off once in a while.

UpInArms

(51,252 posts)
3. Well, your math skills are greater than the MAGAts
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 11:59 AM
Dec 2018

And that is how it works ... the stupids cannot figure those equations and they have amnesia of anything not tweeted a few seconds ago ... they don’t remember they actually paid less last year.

jmowreader

(50,447 posts)
4. This is how it works
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:30 PM
Dec 2018

The Trump Tax Cut leads to lower costs in delivering the energy.

At the same time, Trump tariffs lead to higher costs in their buying the energy to deliver to you - and that increase more than wipes out the savings from cheaper delivery.

I can only imagine how high your gas bill would have been if all there were was the tariffs.

ROB-ROX

(767 posts)
5. CALIFORNIA ELECTRIC POWER COST INCREASE
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:36 PM
Dec 2018

California had an electric cost of $0.14 per kilowatt. This was increased to $0.21 per kilowatt this year. The cost is planned to increase again because of the fires this year. The current increase is 33% and no complaints because people need their electricity.....California has a lot of hydro power from damns.

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
9. Oh if only we could get "hydroelectric power from damns"! Most of us have that to say ....
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:43 PM
Dec 2018

...and more about the fires and droughts.

I know it was a typo, but thanks for my morning chuckle.

mahatmakanejeeves

(56,884 posts)
11. Imagine how much energy we could get from real expletives.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:51 PM
Dec 2018

I would be the source of my own perpetual energy.

sprinkleeninow

(20,133 posts)
26. Sad to say, but we've lowered (heat) bill since * hauled his disgusting rear end into
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:57 PM
Dec 2018

office. The expletives flying are saving us in heating energy costs. But, OTOH, costing us in mental health and overall wellness.

kiri

(786 posts)
18. kilowatt-hours
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:09 PM
Dec 2018

Please note that kilowatts are a measure of the rate of energy use. You pay for energy, that is kilowatt-hours, kWh. kwh can be translated to kilos of coal or liters of gasoline or cubic feet (meters) of methane (natural gas).

calimary

(80,693 posts)
7. That's a fun trick they play on the unsuspecting and gullible.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:40 PM
Dec 2018

“Those tax cuts are saving our customers blah-blah-blah millions of dollars... “

The average Joe reads that and thinks “WOW! Look at the money I’M saving! Blah-blah-blah MILLIONS of dollars! WOW! That’s GREAT! More! Keep it up!”

But in real world numbers, YES their bills will keep rising. May even be by only a little bit of an increase, but up it will go. And that “fabulous” buck-98 “tax cut” that somehow finally trickled down to the Average Joe level will in NO WAY offset the mass across-the-board heist that hits that level from every direction as a result. More fees. Higher costs. Other unexpected extra charges. It’ll be, in effect, bigger taxes. They’ll just call it something different.

There really is a sucker born every moment. These days they’re called trump voters.

aggiesal

(8,863 posts)
12. Your close ...
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 12:56 PM
Dec 2018

.453182 - .3289 = .124282
.124282 / .3289 = .377872 or 37.79%
.3289 x 1.377872 = .453182

37.79% - 10.16% = 27.63%

*************************************
Back in the 70's, the energy company where I grew up was NipsCo.
NipsCo was Northern Indiana Public Service Company.

During the oil crises, they asked their customers to set their thermostats to 68 degrees,
to conserve energy and save on oil usage for the heaters. If it was a little colder than normal,
just put on sweats or a sweater.

The customers complied. Everyone did their part to conserve energy and oil usage that NipsCo
didn't quite make the profit they expected because everyone's bill was lower.
So what did NipsCo do? What any other profit motivated business would do; they raised the
prices !!!

sprinkleeninow

(20,133 posts)
27. Isn't that the way? "Thx for helping us out in the energy crisis.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 02:02 PM
Dec 2018

Proud of yas, ya pulled thru.
Now here's your reward:
We jacked up your rates!"

Devils.

sprinkleeninow

(20,133 posts)
28. Remember that. New England. One evening husband's parents came over beginning of crisis.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 02:12 PM
Dec 2018

Had our thermostat set at 65 [?] middle of winter. Heat would not kick on. Mom-in-law kept her coat on!!😆 Husband and me said, "Turn the blasted heat on!! That's how nuts the power cos. were making people. I could hack it back then, but not now.

We moved to another state [mb state of confusion 😝] and a new hvac tech we hired said to leave thermostat on a reasonable temp., then adjust it accordingly. Never mind the numbers. And not jack it way down [or up] at nite, then back the other way. That's what sends your bill sky rocketing.

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
16. in a plutocracy that gas company is your representative, your government
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:00 PM
Dec 2018

and they will take care of you because they love you

FakeNoose

(32,328 posts)
17. So why are those Black Hills Energy people smiling?
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:09 PM
Dec 2018

Maybe they're looking at porn, because it can't be their gas bill.

Omaha Steve

(99,055 posts)
21. We have Black Hills too
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:49 PM
Dec 2018

Our bill is over 20% more than the folks served by the public utility MUD down the street.

Totally Tunsie

(10,885 posts)
23. Oh, so they're using the same math system as the Social Security Administration!
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:54 PM
Dec 2018

I see it works in the same wonderful way, too!

COLA goes up 2.8% so we should be happy and grateful, but Medicare deductions go up more, meaning "less $$$ for Mommy". Funny how that works...

lunatica

(53,410 posts)
25. And poor Paul Ryan has a sad that we even have that.
Thu Dec 20, 2018, 01:57 PM
Dec 2018

I suspect he’s going to be like Mitt Romney and never really go away. Ugh!

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