Letter: Not another LIPA rate increase
A file photo of a LIPA meter on July 13, 2011. LIPA is projecting a slight increase in electric sales for 2015, despite several years of flat or declining sales. Credit: Randee Daddona
It is just unimaginable that the Long Island Power Authority is once again imposing a rate increase to cover an approximate shortfall of $18 million ["Rate hikes coming to LIPA bills," News, Sept. 28].
It is rather oddly and suspiciously timed as the municipal townships unveil their tax cap-restricted budgets, which now have to be recalculated to accommodate an energy increase. The leaders of LIPA, its board and National Grid all need a reality check. They need to look at what a rate increase really does to Long Island.
A reason LIPA was created was to control costs, but over time we have only seen closed-door thinking and reckless consideration of silly projects like $5 billion for feel-good offshore wind turbines.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is asking New Yorkers to prepare to live with a tax cap, even if it means laying off police and teachers and turning off streetlights. Yet our public authorities seem exempt from any reasonable and prudent controls.
Phil Healey, Massapequa
