For nearly two years, Paul Robbins, a longtime environmental and consumer activist, has been hounding Austin Energy about its operation of the Customer Assistance Program, which is intended to give energy discounts to low-income households. Robbins, who earns groans as well as grudging respect from AE, contends that the utility is spending hundreds of thousands, […]
Austin Energy Customer Assistance Program
a utility-run program that offers discounts based on eligibility for low-income ratepayers, as well as those with “serious medical problems.”
Posted inEnergy
Weis memo addresses AE bad-debt questions
Austin Energy’s bad-debt problem is not the result of a policy “that penalizes customers who are a day late or a penny short,” according to a memo to City Council and Mayor Steve Adler from Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis. Instead, the utility places the blame on lenient collection policies. “After the city’s previous utility […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Council eases rules on delinquent utility bills
At the urging of advocacy groups and a tenacious City Council Member Kathie Tovo, the Council on Thursday approved an ordinance that gives additional breaks to residential utility customers having trouble paying their bills. Supporters of the ordinance said the action would especially help in preventing customers with low and fixed incomes from having […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Council split over plan to give delinquent utility ratepayers more time
Council Members Kathie Tovo and Laura Morrison want to give delinquent Austin Energy ratepayers who participate in the utility’s Customer Assistance Program additional leeway in paying their bills. Their proposal met with some resistance from Mayor Lee Leffingwell and utility staff Tuesday. After some discussion, Leffingwell prompted staff to disclose that it would be […]