Rising prices, fueled in large part by the increased cost of moving things around, are raising temperatures among consumers these days.
It’s hard to swallow increase after increase with a paycheck that’s clearly not keeping up.
Most of us realize that we have to pay for what we get in this world, but when everything goes up at the same time it creates a rising tide that sinks more boats than it floats.
You would also think that most companies would realize just how thin that stretched rubber band has become, and temper their increases to cover their inflated costs with the reality that the pie is only so big.
Such is apparently not the case with National Fuel, a company that is so concerned with the reduced usage of its product that is now requesting that the Public Utility Commission allow them to impose a surcharge on our bills to compensate for the loss of income.
And they wonder why people get so frustrated?
Let’s see if we have this straight.
National Fuel, for reasons either within or beyond its control, has increased the cost of its gas to the point where people have been forced to cut back on consumption.
In this part of the world you can read that as “go to bed cold at night.”
The reward for one’s frugality and one’s willingness to freeze one’s buns off at night to pay other bills is an additional charge for NOT using someone’s product.
What does the company say about all this?
“Well, you’ll still save money because your decreased usage will still be greater than the extra money we charge you.”
AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
Say what?
NFG stock has been one of the best producers for investors for years. It’s easy to see why, since apparently the company is willing to make its bottom line by any means necessary.
I humbly submit that the PUC should tell the gas company to stick its surcharge request into its closest pipeline.
We’re already paying more for the stuff that we use.
We shouldn’t have to pay more for the stuff that we don’t.