In reference to the Sunday letter, “Big box stores need to reduce usage”: Both the PUD and the local water districts encourage customers to use less of their products, or services. However, both of these utilities have constant overhead that does not go down if less of the product/service is consumed.
Several years ago the city of Tacoma was praising its customers for conserving water due to a low snow pack and a very warm summer. Later on that year they had a very significant rate hike. Their overhead did not go down but their income (sales) did. In this case it was understandable because there was a lack of water.
In the case of our PUD, if they could keep their sales up, it would pay for their overhead and a rate hike may not be necessary based upon lack of sales. In short, the more the demand for power goes down, the rates will have to go up.
Don Harris
Everett
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