What’s out there, Dad, perhaps another utility rate increase? The Public Service Commission, led by the political hack who the Republicans, including the governor and Daines, wanted on our Supreme Court, will probably give it to us.
How many Eastern Montana residents or small businesses can afford more economic hits by price gouging corporations? If you haven’t been reading the legal notices in the Miles City Daily Star, and most people haven’t, you are probably unaware that MDU has filed for another rate increase. This time the proposed rate change would increase the average residential customer’s rates by 19.2%.
The suits at MDU’s corporate headquarters probably decided, since the other corporations and business entities, such as oil, grocery, pharmaceutical and other providers of essential products, are busy gouging the public, MDU should join the glutenous party at the public trough. Why not, since the Montana Public Service Commissioners have here-to-fore issued a PSC rule that severely limits public participation and the ability to oppose rate increase proposals.
If you want to enter the fray over this latest proposal to further gouge us, contact the Montana Consumer Counsel in Helena at 111 North Last Chance Gulch, Suite 1B, Helena, MT 59601,
(406) 444-2771. You can also can register on the PSC’s website to be added to the Watch List for notice of filings in this docket and while there submit a written comment on this proposal to further gouge we consumers. Further, any interested party affected by this proposed rate increase can intervene in this docket by filing a petition to intervene with the PSC by December 14, 2022. A party seeking intervention must also mail a copy of the petition to Montana’s Consumer Counsel and to MDU’s attorney, Michael Green, Crowley Fleck PLLP, 900 N. Last Chance Gulch, Suite 200, Helena, MT 59601. Finally, if you do not wish to formally intervene you can submit written public comments to the PSC at 1701 Prospect Ave., P.O. Box 202601, Helena, MT 59620.