Certain customers getting hit hard

Published 9:00 pm Sunday, April 3, 2005

Roughly two months ago, when my wife and I had finally gotten our PUD bill down to $60 and were looking forward to qualifying for the “budget plan” again for the first time in at least four years, we received an additional bill explaining that we had been levied with a $140 deposit. Now our bill was difficult to pay, once again.

Come to find out, several friends and acquaintances had also been assaulted with this unannounced fine.

According to the PUD customer service representative I spoke with, “It’s the same concept as banks charging overdraft fees.” The PUD has levied these fines against customers with a poor payment history (disconnect notices, shut-offs, etc.).

It occurs to me that this may well represent extortion. You see, with banks, I can choose another. In fact, with any creditor out there, I can choose another. With the PUD, I have no choice but to pay what it demands or my fish die, my food rots, and my wife and I get cold and hungry.

If this were not a monopoly, if we had a choice, if we had been informed that this “deposit” (two years after the inception of service) existed, if there were some recourse, I would not call it extortion.

The PUD is preying on those already having a hard time paying, in hopes that it won’t raise the public ruckus that a rate hike would. I ask that anyone assailed with this same bogus “deposit,” let PUD know how you feel. Let the papers know how you feel. Let your politicians know how you feel.

Allen &Jen Schultz

Marysville