Elizabeth City Utilites are too high

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This discussion topic has been automatically created of petition Elizabeth City Utilites are too high.

Anthony McGilberry

#26

2014-04-08 17:26

Elizabeth City, NC utility rates are way too expensive. Surrounding cities and towns of Elizabeth City in North Carolina such as Camden, Weeksville, Hertford, Edenton, and cities in the Outer Banks area only pay about 1/4 and sometimes even 1/5 of the cost for utilities in which citizens living in Elizabeth City, NC pay. "$100-$200 compared to $500;" and that's no exaggeration.

Anthony McGilberry

Guest

#27

2014-04-08 18:29

You are absolutely correct! We are tired of having to choose between the house payment or the utilities. The prices are truly ridiculous. Not only that, but they are not even willing to work with the customers. It is either pay or be in the cold dark home! Many customers like myself are not even home to use the electricity until 6 or 7 in the evening. And lights are out by 10:00. It just doesn't add up...oh, it does... it's ROBBERY!!!
Tonya Turner
Guest

#28

2014-04-08 19:18

I am an Elizabeth City native and the majority of my family still reside there. It should be considered unethical what the residents of this community are being charged. I live in a metropolitan city (Charlotte, NC) and our rates don't even compare.


Guest

#29

2014-04-08 21:49

Its bad when your electric bill is more then a car payment and we don't even live in the city. My husband is retired military and working a 2nd job just to pay our bills. We are also raising 2 grand babies, so our money is tight. We barely have enough money to buy food.

Guest

#30

2014-04-08 22:24

Yes my bill is over 3 to 4 hundred every month that is almost as much as my house payment. And my husband is on disability that is almost half of check and I am not able to work. When will stop!! they need to lower this bill ASAP!!!!!

Guest

#31

2014-04-08 23:16

We are in Rocky Mount and Wilson looking to link our groups up so that we can expose this to the world. An award-winning documentary filmmaker will be in the area may 8-9 to do interviews etc. and we would love for you all to participate and maybe join forces. Let's try please.
Thanks,
E. Speight facebook: "Our High Utility Bills"

Guest

#32

2014-04-08 23:28

I've seen so MANY complaints over this issue. NOW STAND UP AND BE HEARD!!!!!

Guest

#33

2014-04-09 00:12

The city needs to buy direct power or convert to dominion power

Guest

#34

2014-04-09 00:27

I moved from Elizabeth City(my home town) because of this same reason. Never was home until around 7-8pm during the week and my bill stayed 1000 with one adult and two small children. It's sad!!!

Guest

#35

2014-04-09 00:47

Lights are too high. Some people light bills are more than their mortgage. Please we all are trying to survive. Please help us. It affects all of us directly or indirectly.

Guest

#36

2014-04-09 03:15

I was evicted from a rental property where my rent was $750/Mon and my utility bill in the winter was equal to and at times more than my rent. Working part time while in school with a school aged child. I paid the utility bill which made my rent late and I was evicted. They will turn your lights off if your 5 dollars short.
Cookie

#37 elizabeth city lightbill

2014-04-09 08:18

I was homeless for 7yrs behind Elizabeth City light bill 1500.00 water bill they put new water n sewer pipes in 99-2000 n pave the street the leak was under the housenot in the house iI'm suppose to pay in the house well section 8 gave me 30 days to pay it I couldn't so they kick me off the program would nobody help me n I'm disabled I walk these streets for 7 years I even went I. Front of city council nobody help me I even had to pay a curfew fine hurricane Isabel cause I could not get no help till I played that light bill I suffered behind Elizabeth city I feel they owe me for 7 years of my life

Guest

#38

2014-04-09 12:33

My bill last month was $850. Which is More than my rent!it's rediculous. I know I won't be able to make ends meet when it's steadily going up for no reason. Contacting them is a joke they just get crappy and give attitude.
shorty1967

#39 The City Of Elizabeth City Light Bill Are Too High

2014-04-09 15:39

My light bill is simply ridicilous something really to done about this I dont even be home and my light bill rages from $255.00 to 303.75 and the City will issue you a penalty charge very quickly.Why should we even have a penalty charge We already have a Big light bill. We have other bills to like gas bill gas for our cars. I feel like something needs to be done immediately.

Guest

#40

2014-04-09 17:55

That why everyone is moving out of that town ! And nobody wants to open a new business there because of the light bill

Guest

#41

2014-04-09 19:54

Customers of other utilities companies, less than a mile away, with similar homes and usages pay half as much at times.

Guest

#42

2014-04-09 22:16

My light bill b just as high as my rent

Guest

#43

2014-04-10 01:38

One of the main reasons I moved away from Elizabeth City. The place I grew up.Every month I had to choose food for my children or lights. Absolutely ridiculous. Nobody should have to make that choice.

together we stand

#44

2014-04-10 12:40

enough small talk at home and with family! now is the time for all of us to speak up and stand together. Monday 7pm city hall 2nd floor April 14, 2014 bring as many people as you can, I am bring 5 people myself we must find away the people will NOT make it another year like this! Somthing has to give.

Guest

#45

2014-04-11 02:51

Utilities are too high!

Guest

#46

2014-04-13 07:33

It is ridiculous to have a light bill that's two,three hundred dollars more then your rent
And especially when you are already struggling to pay one and thee next bill comes out and you have to put down half of that one to get an extension it not rite or fair to anyone disabled or the working $500&$600 light bills and then when you go in to speak to someone they ask why can't you pay it it just angers me

Guest

#47

2014-04-27 03:29

Don't just bitch and groan, get up and speak to those in charge of the city. Go to city hall. Get some friends and unite them with some folks up here. Nothing's gonna get done by just bitching about it.
Ms.B

#48 WE'RE SITTING IN THE HEAT

2014-06-15 19:08

We can not afford to run our air conditioning. I can not afford $500 a month for utility ( electric) bills. We sit in the dark in the evenings..wash in cold water and take cold showers. Our bills are still high. Next..i'll be telling my kids there's no food because we had to pay the electric bill. IT'S AMAZING THAT I CAN SEE A CITY EMPLOYEE SITTING IN HIS RUNNING TRUCK FOR OVER 2 HOURS..GIGGLING AND LAUGHING WITH THE PERSON HE IS TEXTING..WHILE THE TAX PAYERS PAY HIS WAGES. AND WE WONDER WHY OUR BILLS ARE SO HIGH?
Guest

#49

2015-09-29 18:47

I carefully read the two articles posted earlier in this thread. Both point to the over 2 BILLION dollar debt that has to be paid off because the Brunswick and Shearon Harris nuclear power plants aren't as profitable or efficient as was thought. This is due to the fact that industrial users of electricity have shut down and, ,more importantly, no new industry is coming to areas served by NCEMPA because of high cost. 

The other, more subtle point is that when this nuclear deal was made, the deal exempted cities from any sort of rate regulation. The cities, like Elizabeth City, are free to charge more than the actual cost of electricity and transfer the profits to the city "general fund". So, when a business in downtown E. City goes out of business or moves to an area not served by E. City utilities, the city loses tax income, business license income, and electricity income. So, E. City jacks up the electricity costs to make up for the lost income. So the next time you go down to City Hall, you can feel good about the fact that your outrageous electricity bill is keeping a city worker employed!

It's a death spiral for the city. Very few businesses are going to open downtown because the electricity is way too expensive. The remaining businesses and residents have to foot the bill for the city's lost income, which can drive an otherwise profitable company out of business. The city then loses income, jacks up electricity, and the circle keeps on going. 

This is extremely short sighted by Elizabeth City. There are several elections coming up, including mayor. I would advise anyone living in the E. City limits to demand to hear the plan each mayoral candidate has for E. City utilities. If any of the candidates have a town hall meeting, I will be there asking that question. If things continue the way they are going, this town will be bankrupt by 2020.