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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us September 29, 2005 GUEST FORUM Boycott new electrical fee By Vanessa Houk Ashland I am livid! It is absolutely appalling that low-income residents will be paying for services we cannot afford to enjoy. AFN is great in theory, but I have to keep asking why elderly on fixed incomes and low-income Ashland residents must pay dearly for it. Between the electric users tax and the new increase of $7.50 a month, this is one more example of the city failing to keep its own promise that “the city will strive to provide resources and services to meet basic human needs.” I’ve spoken out on the issue of the electric users tax before. This is not the 1920s or ’30s — electricity is not a luxury. Mayor John Morrison was recently quoted as saying that both he and the city council are concerned about the impact this decision will have on low-income people and that “something had to be done from an economic standpoint, until we decide what to do.” Let me explain what many low-income Ashland residents will be forced to do this winter. Many of us will be forced to visit the food bank on Wednesdays at Seventh Day Adventist Church. I’ve gone in there and can tell you about the numerous seniors and families I see waiting for hours for a box of food to help tide them over. These are our friends and neighbors we are talking about. It is shameful to continue to take from those who can least afford it. One other thing low-income people will do is some form of “bill shuffling.” We may have to pay the utility company more, but our basic phone bill will go unpaid until a shutoff notice is received. Or we will go without needed medication. We will live without cars. For many, this is Survival 101. The city will be raising $75,000 a month once these new fees go into place. This, on top of their astronomical $94 million budget that they cannot seem to balance. $94 million and they still need to collect additional money from people who have to stand in line at food banks because they do not make enough to feed their families. I am ashamed of this town and this decision. This is one more example of Ashland failing the working poor. I’m asking all low-income residents to boycott paying this fee and while we are at it, anyone who is living under the federal poverty level to refuse to pay the electric users tax on your next utility bills. What would happen if we did this? There will be a cut in that $75,000 and the city will get a strong message about who cannot afford these taxes. Let’s send them a message that if they truly sympathize with the working poor, then a stronger effort needs to be made to forgive these unjust debts. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams