The pot calling the kettle black

Hello Apple Valley Choice Customers! Remember how you were promised that joining Apple Valley Choice Energy would insulate you from those horrible Southern California Edison electricity rates and rate increases? Have you checked the April 9, 2019, Town Council Meeting agenda? Your electric rates are going up. The agenda item even states that amendments to the rates will occur as Edison adjusts its own rates.

The actual amount of the rate increase is not divulged (you have to calculate it yourself after reading the microscopic charts) and the staff report neither confirms nor denies whether the revenues currently collected from AVCE customers are sufficient for its operations. Nor does the staff report say that raising rates is necessary, the Town is simply raising the rates just because Edison is raising its rates. The Town thinks it’s okay to raise rates as long as they remain 3% below the Edison generation charge (however high that charge is).

Note too, that the Town staff report promises another rate increase in June 2019.

So compare: The Town will be raising rates twice (in April and June of this year) with no explanation. Our water company raises rates only when it can document and prove a rate increase is necessary. Yet, the Town demonizes our water utility and accuses them of gouging the public! This is a shameful yet classic example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Greg Raven and Diana J. Carloni, Apple Valley

Published: Daily Press