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Monday, July 12, 2010

New Taxes Make Utility Bills Soar

ROCKVILLE, Md. - You might be a little shocked if you haven't taken a look at your electricity bill lately.

A 150 percent energy tax increase went into effect July 1 in Montgomery County. It will be in effect for two years.

The tax per kilowatt hour of electricity use jumped from half a cent to 1.3 cents. The cost per therm of natural gas rose from 4 cents to 11.5 cents.

Last month's increased energy bills were tied to a temporary -- even larger -- energy tax increase passed by the Montgomery County Council in May to make budget for the fiscal year, according to The Examiner. The energy tax rate was increased 300-percent until the end of June.

Patrick Lacefield, a spokesman for County Executive Isiah "Ike" Leggett, says the increase is unavoidable.

"Barring an increase in this tax, however, county government would have been required to make even deeper reductions in county services," he tells the paper.

In a complaint to the council, one Gaithersburg resident wrote that he was shocked to see the energy tax on his June Pepco bill jump to $41.63, after being billed $7.31 in May.

Source

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Obama administration said they were going to do this and people still voted for him .They go after the health care industry when there was no need and they give the power companies a pass to rob us blind !

Anonymous said...

9:12 What in the world does the president have to do with a county tax?

Anonymous said...

10:57 The point was our energy cost and usage is going to go through the roof and that was a quote from Obama . SO instead of forcing Americans into substandard health care how about taking over the power companies or at least regulate to make them affordable to working families .