The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) concluded its public hearings yesterday regarding AEP Ohio’s proposal to increase electric distribution rates by about 2.14%. If approved, this hike translates to an additional $3.95 per month for the average residential customer consuming 1,000 kWh monthly, as per AEP’s filing with PUCO back in May, WBNS reports.
In a situation that could take another fiscal hit, Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest school district, stands to lose around $2 million annually due to the proposed rate increase. Operating on tight finances after recently undergoing $50 million in budget reductions to avert a deficit, the district’s electric expenses could jump from $11 million to $13 million. With more than half a dozen schools closed in the past year, alongside planned cuts to staffing and programs, the district is facing severe monetary strain. “The way that we are funded is through our taxpayers. So these same residents are going to get hit as a resident, and they are also paying our bills as a public institution,” Jennifer Adair, Columbus City Schools Board of Education member, told WOSU.
Dissension resonates among Columbus residents and officials regarding the proposed rate boost. According to a report from NBC4i, dozens of denizens have voiced opposition to the increase, with public education bearing a substantial burden. “Public schools are not for profit,” stated Adair during the testimonies. “We cannot raise prices or choose our customers. When utility costs rise faster than our revenues, our only options are to cut staff, cut services, or go back to our voters to ask for higher local taxes.”…