SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York State Assemblyman Pat Burke is noticing the same problem we've been hearing from you for months, increased costs for electric bills. He's proposing a potential solution, municipal power.
"It's a conversation we need to have," Burke said. "There are constituents extremely upset about the ever-increasing costs of goods throughout their life, and now, they're seeing it in their utility bills."
7 Problem Solvers continue to get emails from NYSEG customers who are frustrated by an increase in their bills they believe is due to the installation of smart meters.
However, Burke tells 7 News there are places in our area that have avoided those sudden price hikes.
"There are areas in our community with significantly lower utility costs and those are run by towns and municipalities," Burke said.
Small electric providers run by the towns themselves. These places buy their electric from the Municipal Electric Utilities Association of New York State and hire their own workers to upkeep the power lines, but the best part, might just be the cost.
"It's a lot cheaper, it's almost half of what most people are paying," Duane Boberg said.
Boberg is the superintendent of public works for the Village of Springville, one of the few places in our area that's been using this model for decades.
"If we can keep getting our residents cheaper electric, why would we burden them by going to a different source that would cost twice as much?" Boberg said.
We've heard your complaints of sudden spikes in bill costs to more than $200-$300. In that same time, Boberg tells 7 News his personal bills have stayed the same.
"Mine personally is, I think, $70-$80 a month," Boberg said.
"Springville is very close and it is a good example of where this seems to be quite successful," Burke said. "This isn't an explicit call for municipal power, but it's a call to have that conversation."
After talking to people like Boberg, Burke penned a letter to the Erie County Legislature, proposing the county make this cheaper option a wide spread alternative to NYSEG or National Grid.
"Do you worry that changes like this, or even suggesting changes like this, might anger National Grid or NYSEG?"
"I have to do my job. If constituents are calling me and demanding something be done, I am not going to sit on my hands because companies with a lot of resources won't like it. I'm willing to have the conversation with them. I'm inviting them to these discussions as well. I want them to be part of the solution," Burke said.
Burke plans to formally propose this idea at the September 19 legislative session.
