It's Night Side with Dan raybz Coso.
Sorry, welcome back our number two here on a Wednesday night, and Marita and I thought that it might be good tonight to talk for a little while about utility bills here in Massachusetts. There's a been a real cry and outrage by customers of many of the utilities. I'm not
focusing on any specific utility. Most of us in Massachusetts don't have a choice simply because you kin'd have different gas lines and different electric lines, and so depending upon the community in which you live, you have to be serviced by the utilities that provide those services in your town or in your And last November, apparently on November first, the Department of Public Utilities granted went fairly unnoticed by the major media outlets and certainly not by the politicians.
As I understand it, the DPU, the Department of Public Utilities, gave the utilities here, the big businesses that provide electricity and gas service to us here in the coldest region of the country, and by the way, a region of the country that is very far away from the production centers in the country. We have had people here in Massachusetts, and I'm sure in other states who have not wanted more gas lines to be buried underground. And a lot
of those folks are what's called nimby. Not in my backyard. It's an old story. I think most of us understand what that means that when all of a sudden they want to bring another gas line in, either from the southwest somewhere, or Pennsylvania or Canada, you get a lot of pushback from people. And when it turns winter time and the demand for these energy supplies, whether again it's electricity or gas or I guess also you know the oil costs people who rely upon oil to heat their homes.
I'm sure the oil prices have skyrocketed as well. This will give you an opportunity to join the conversation. Tell us what it's been like in your community. I've done a little bit of I guess you'd call it homework. I like to try to do a little homework on this stuff. And the easiest way for me to do homework is to look at my own bills and say, okay,
you know, what does what does this look like? And it appears to me that in terms of my own situation, without going into it deeply, I have you know, gas and gas service and electric service. And it appears that the gas service is up a little bit from a year ago, and the cost of the the therms and this would be the same cost for you, has have gone up about you know, I guess you'd say probably
thirty percent. But the gas supply charge, uh, you know, which is based upon the number of therms that you have, has gone up just a little bit, not a huge difference, I am using. And I recognize that I'm using more therms because January was a colder month. So I don't have a huge argument with my my gas charge because most of it, pretty apparent to me is a consequence of the weather. And I do, and I really do
see it that way. And you know, I can complain with the best of them, as I'm sure some of you can complain as well. But when you start talking about your electric charges again, you know, year to year, trying to be trying to be honest, it looks as if the generation supply charge that I'm paying, and you know, obviously you're paying as well, has gone up about one hundred and fifty percent. That's a big jump. That is a big jump I actually used and you know all
of us can have you know, different levels. I did use more electricity and my home is is heated in some part by electricity. So and and I've had I've had an increase, uh, no doubt. But some of the increases that I've heard people talk about, some of the increases have been just absolutely outrageous. Uh. And if if you're somebody who has had a huge increase, I'd like to hear from you. I'm looking at and again my my bills. I see that the you know, the the supply,
the delivery charge uh, has has gone up. And it does it fluctuates. Obviously, my my usage is really about the same, but I'm paying more. Actually my usage, my usage is less on a month to month basis this year for some reason, I can serve it actually more, but it still costs a lot of money. So I just want to open up the lines and give you an opportunity to comment on this. Now here's my problem.
I noticed today that I think the governor had initially said, well, we got to get them to give people a five percent decrease, and the companies have actually, in well ever source to their credit has actually said that let me quote you here, since following the dpu's direction last week in the face of higher than normal natural gas bills, they would reduce delivery rates by five percent of the
total bill. That's what the DPU directed them to do. Ever, so as we filed a plan earlier this week that makes a ten percent reduction to the local delivery adjustment charge from March and April. Now, the problem is that we're were the watchdogs. Where were the politicians who're supposed to follow this closely. The increase was granted in November, So you've gotten bills now for November, for December, for January, and maybe depending upon when you bill hits, it could
be February as well. You're going to get a little bit of a break in March in April, but then that March and April break will be recouped by these companies in the warmer months, summer months June, July, August, and September. And I guess the governor today said that she wants to file some legislation which is going to mandate this or mandate that. Well, Governor, with all due respects, who was watching the store in November, big staff, did
anyone say, hey, look, believe it or not. If we have a cold winter here, we're going to get socked with it. So who do you want to blame here? I blame the politicians, to be really honest with you, the gas companies and the electric companies. We can make them. You can think of them as the bad guys because the other people you're ready the check to. But it would seem to me that November, December, January, now almost through the end of February the first time we're thinking
about the governor's thinking about filing some legislation. Again, who you elect is going to have an impact. Now, I'm not going to blame Governor Healy for not sitting in that DPU meeting, but you would think that someone in her staff should have sent to our governor. The DPU just gave a rate increase which is not going to be felt by people for a couple of months. But when they do feel it, they're going to be outraged, and they're going to be outraged at you, uh and
others at the State House. So let's open it up here. Six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty Does this concern you if you are look If you're a homeowner, you've seen the difference. If you're a renter. If you're a renter, many renters pay their own electric and gas bills separately, you may have seen the difference. And even if you're a renter for whom your electric bill and your gas bill was take,
it was counted. And I don't know how many of you are in that situation, you know that the costs are going to be passed on to you, So let's open them up. Six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. Why is it that with all these sharp politicians at the state House, no one noticed this in November, in December, or in January. And we can blame them, but they don't care. They really don't care, okay, because they only
care when people howl with indignation. So let's do some howling. Coming back on nights Side right after this.
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World Night Side Studios on w b Z, the news radio.
We'll get right to the phones. But I was just looking at the Globe report. John Chastow, who's been on the show many times, says that today, meaning this day, Wednesday, Governor. Healy spoke to the Great Boston Chamber of Commerce and pledged today that she would file legislation to address energy affordability and independence in coming weeks. Well, good for you, Governor, it's a little late for this winter, it seems to me,
Heally said. I know the bills, I get them myself. Okay, But there's a lot of people, Governor, who are not making what the governor makes, and they're living in Massachusetts as well, not making what the Speaker makes, not making what the Senate President makes. They're the ones that are
really feeling it. The Massachuset Department of Public Utilities did approve increases of ten to thirty percent last fall in gas bills for the six month heating season, in part because of rising costs associated with the state's mass Save Energy efficiency program and gas pipeline replacement projects. Hey, let me tell you something. A lot of people have fought against gas line replacement projects because they don't want them
in their backyard. And that's a problem. You know, nobody wants the inconvenience of gas pipelines in your community, but you sure want the gas when it turns cold. In January and February, and December. The governor told reporters should be looking at discounts, red tape that can be eliminated, and programs that are not working effectively and should be changed, though she didn't name a particular program. She needs more conversations with her Secretary of Energy, Rebecca Kepper. Let me
tell you reactive that's reactive, that is not proactive. They should have been thinking about this last September, last October, and they should have been talking with the DPU, and all of us would be better shaped financially as a result. But you live in a one party state, you get one party state government. Let's go to the phones. Barry in Norwell, very welcome. You are first this hour on
night Side. Yeah. I can't make sure you turned that radio down because it's gonna be a little distracting and confusing if you have that on in the background.
Go right ahead, Barry. I'm your bookstore owner.
And the.
Chuggers I almost fell over the other day were like nine for a month.
Was electricity, electricity gas or what was it?
It was the election tricity and plus the gas, the two of them together, Okay, And I know they've worked in combination because I have like a heat pump that they put in and this heat pump thing is is it's all due are Matt same? This not safe program
is a huge waste of money, taxpayer money. They've been at it for years and they go around and they these kids say they try to get into a an evaluation so called and they they then they put in a oh you're going to get this and that they'll put in a programmable thermostat like book, do you do? What do you need that for? It's only confusing, And then they'll give you insulation, baby, and they try to push a heat pump and they say, oh, you're going
to get a free you know, a free replacement. They cost you ten thousand dollars to replace an oil burner. I know because I had a three family in Dorchester and they were all over me for that. And it turns out there's no savings at all. It's Matt saying. They hire a lot of people to go around and I guess it's for the climate crisis, whatever that is. And it's a big government waste of money that adds
a lot of money to the gas bill. And the Globe the other day actually admitted that that that was the line's share of the increase for people.
Well, I'll tell you it's a program that everyone pays for. And I don't know what your experience has been with it, but it's a program that I would suggest people take advantage of because many people live in homes that are not insulated properly and insulation. You know, I think there's I know you're criticizing it, but I think there's a benefit to the program. But if people don't take advantage of it, they're still paying for it because we all pay for it. If you know what I'm trying to say.
Mhm, it's it's hey, it has it's it's benefits, I guess, but I think they're taking advantage of us. And the layers that they add in to the government program is not is not efficient at all. They're trying to trying to say it's for efficiency, and now they're blaming oh, the landlord only benefits, not the renter. So they're gonna add in a search charge for the landlord and to take away money that always so supposedly saved that.
Way by the way. That Yeah, that to me is ridiculous. That aspect of it, if that's true, is ridiculous. What do you think about the governor today? She makes a speech like she's gonna file legislation. I would simply say to the governor, Governor, where have you been? Yeah?
I think she's she's dishonest.
Well, I don't think necessarily she's dishonest. I think she's caught Her staff has led her down. And you know, when the DPU allowed these increases last November, there should have been somebody who said to her, Oh, by the way, Governor, I think you know, next winter, if it gets a little cold around here, and it does tend to get cold in the wintertime, you might have some people who are upset. But to talk today, well, she has no specifics at this speech in front of the Chamber of
Commerce today. Clearly she's caught off balance here and bad staff work and not thinking ahead. It's as simple as that. But we're in a one party state. The Republicans weren't screaming and yelling about the DPU increases. They should have been screaming and yelling. I blame the Republicans too. Maybe they're not paying No one pays attention to them.
It was the cast of gas is excuse me, it is high. If it goes up even more, it'll be higher. Everybody has to pay their gas. But to add in these programs, the government programs, I think, I don't think it's it's a benefit to the people whether you get insulation or not. It's it's just a phony government program. That's it's it's uh, look for enough, Barry.
We can we can agree to disagree on that. I think again, if your house is not insulated, it's going to cost you more to heat during the winter time. And the program is there and the insulation is not, uh, they're they're almost giving the insulation away. There's not a lot of uh, there's not a lot of cost associated with that. But but I understand the point you're making. I just think the program is there to take advantage
of it. But but I appreciate your perspective. I want to see if other people happen to agree with you and have the same point of view.
Thank you so much, Thank you, Thank you for Paul, and have a good time YouTube Berry.
Talk to you soon, okay. Got one line at six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty and one line at six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. What's the problem I mean, eventually, it's it has to be the political leadership. I have no idea of what is going on in other states, and if other states are asleep at the switch, will shame on them. If there's another state where things are going well and I don't know what it's like in New Hampshire. I don't know what it's like in Vermont
or Man. Obviously cold winter time in New England, prices are going up. We're gonna have to pay more. But how can the DPU grant ten and thirty percent increases and it goes unnoticed by the political leadership they supposed to they're supposed to represent us. We'll be back on nightside. Got the news at the bottom of the hour. Be right back. Let's keep it going.
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WZ Boston's news Radio.
Okay, here we go back to the phones. They're going to go to Debbie in Hoper. DEBI welcome, You're next on Nightside. Thank you for waiting.
Thank you. I'm just calling because you're saying a year ago these rats were approved. How about three years ago?
Yeah, well, let me hold on for a second. It was this particular rates were approved by the DPU this past November, so it's really now four months ago, November, December, January, February.
Go right ahead, well back two years ago rates were approved by the state legislature sixty four percent for national grade and forty six percent that ever saw, okay, and that since then.
Yeah, hold on for a second, if I could. It's my understanding, uh, And I always leave open the possibility that I can be wrong. You know, someone, if I say to you the sun's going to rise tomorrow in the east, I guess there's a possibility it doesn't rise at the east tomorrow. We're ever all out of here. But so my understanding is that the legislature has passed on this responsibility to the Department of Public Utilities.
And what happened, Well, they're the ones that got us in this mess, and they should them and I had put I had gotten.
Can I just finish this explanation if I can, and again, I'll be happy to give you your you know, your your commentary. I want to go to say. What happens is the utilities will file every year with the Department of Public Utilities a proposal they want to increase their rates by X and then they have hearings and testimonies, and generally it takes place in the summer and fall, and generally sometime in the middle of the fall, the Department of Public Utilities will say, Okay, you can increase
this rate five percent or whatever. And the reason that the legislature does that is they don't want to be in the position of the legislature having to vote and say we're going to raise Debbie's rates. Now, if there was something that I missed, and if you're telling me that the legislature raised rates sixty four percent, miss Debbie, when did that happen? And what source are you citing for me?
Oh, it was in one of the news articles. I have a cotton paste it. I'll send it to you if you give me the email address. But they had raised the rate, and then the following year, both utility companies came back and said, oh, National Grid's going to lower their rates to forty six percent. And I forget whatever source it was left.
Do me a favor, Okay, why don't you if you can find those that newspaper article easily tonight, Rob will give you my email address and you can send that to me and you can just if you give me. You don't even have to, you know, scan and send the newspaper article. But to the best of my knowledge, and I follow this stuff fairly closely, the legislature has insulated themselves against having to raise the rates. So that's why you have the Department of Utilities who does the
dirty work. But if you want to just send me the if you want to, just send me the date of the article and say that Dan, there was a story that I've read on you know, November tenth, two thousand and twenty four or November fifth, twenty and twenty two. I'll find it and i'll read it, and if you're correct, and if I'm incorrect, I'll apologize over the ear. But mindustanding, I don't want.
You to apologize, and I'm just upset. I've been upset since the day I read that those articles. It wasn't just one article, it was on the news. It was all speculation oil was going to hit eighty dollars a barrel. So I was like, oh, wait, I know a little bit about this stuff, So just beer with me for a second right now.
Oil is about seventy dollars a barrel. Oil nine Yeah, Okay, oil at one point was up to one hundred and fifty dollars a barrow, So we're going up to eighty dollars a barrow would be an increase, but it would be nothing. We oil got close to one hundred and fifty.
Dollars and that's zero during COVID.
Well, it didn't, it really got. It got very low because obviously there was there was no gasoline, and the cars weren't moving around. People were we were adapting, adapting your your correct to this new lifestyle. Send me the article, send me the dates, and we'll we'll talk about it. Okay, okay on line well, no, find the article?
Fine, No, I mean waiting for Rob.
No. Rob will cut pick you up as soon as as soon as I say good evening, I'll say okay to you and then leave your number with Rob and I'll call you back and I'll say, gee, you were right, you have you sent me this article. We'll talk about it tomorrow night.
Fair enough, Thank you.
Hang on, don't hang up. Rob will take care of that. We're going to go next to If you're trying to get in the lines at six one seven, two, five ten thirty A full dial six one seven nine, three, one, ten thirty. Let me go to Tom and Lynn. Tom, you're next to the nightside.
Welcome Dan, not really off topic, I asked Brooksy. He says, yeah, go ahead. I got my excise tax still last week, right. I got a nineteen ninety nine Infinity twenty four to twenty five years old. I says to my neighbors Sue, what do you think my excise tax bill was? She says, I don't know. Twenty bucks? I asked my mechanic. The guy from whom I bought the carriage is Ronnie. What do you think my excise sax bill was? He says
not ten bucks, Dan, seventy two dollars. Okay, it's as you said, the taxation policy in the state only when you're moving, or only when you're not moving.
I can have when you do the way when okay, Tom, let me let me hold you down for a second. Okay, as long as you own a vehicle in Massachusetts and it has a value, whether it's a couple of thousand dollars or five thousand dollars, what's your vehicle? What you said it's a what did you say it was a Mercedes?
No, God, Infinity Infinity.
Okay, what do you think it's if you credit in, say, what do you think it's value?
Is not even one thousand bucks? It's it's twenty five years old.
Okay, well, I don't know. I'm not a car tom. I am not a car expert. Okay, I'm not a car expert. So there are some people who will say that particular brand. If Scott and Larry were here, they could pick a number out and they could say that Infinity, what sort of shapes it mean? They could they could tell you, I have a a very old Vovo. I drive a Vovo, which is I think it was twenty thirteen, not as old as your car. But you know they
are always going to tax you a little bit. So I think that the seventy two dollars charge are for your excise tax probably is more than you than it's would be, but it will never get to zero as long as you have it registered. Okay, tonight we're talking about electric prices, gas prices.
I know, I'm so mad.
I'm just so mad.
Yeah, well, do me a favorite. It's not worth it. Go check your electric bill. Do you own your home?
No, I live in housing. I don't pay electric or any utilities. I'm elderly for one thing, which I have.
We all get elderly. I'm elderly too. How who pays your gas and electric?
City?
So you're in in City of Lynn housing?
Yes, okay?
What do you pay a month for rent? And you're renting.
But thousand dollars okay, thousand.
Dollars a month okay, and you pay no electric in that, So that thousand dollars a month by the city, pronounce your electric and gas.
Yep, you're pretty lucky.
I was looking at a go ahead.
You know, I'm saying you're pretty lucky to happen.
And I know I.
Would focus from a mental health point of view. I would truly focus on the winter time. If you were living in an apartment that was, you know, a private apartment, you probably would be paying. So so count count your blessings in that regard. And some night we'll do something on excise taxes and we'll give you a chance.
To I was looking at real estate yesterday. There's a free paper from Saugust. The cheapest apartment I saw one bedroom in West Lynne eighteen hundred dollars a month.
Okay, And does that include rent? Does that include gas and electric probably.
Not no, no, and then it goes up from there. You get the damage.
Mine foot. Tom. Tonight, before you go to bed, get on your knees and thank the taxpayers of Massachusetts that you're living for one thousand dollars a month. I hope it's a nice apartment. I suspect it probably is a nice apartment. You should, you should say that the taxpayers of Massachusetts who are subsidizing that. Thanks and we will, we'll, we'll go to battle for you on the excise tax another night. Thanks thanks to being I.
I was in a service.
A lot of us were.
Yeah, I mean my mind that business about, you know, thank the taxpayers. Hey, I did my I did my four years.
You know.
I understand that, Tom, and I'm not and thank you for that service. But what I'm saying to you is you are blessed to be in a situation where it's costing you one thousand dollars a month and you're not paying electricity and gas rates. Right now, That's all I'm trying to say to you. Be thankful for what you have and and don't don't have a heart attack because you're paying seventy two dollars in an excise tax. I'm trying to give you some advice that I think is
going to be good for your mental health. I don't want to use a listener or a call er either. Okay, Thanks Tom, talk to you soon. Good night. We'll take a break, coming right back on Nightside.
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio and skip Rowler.
You're going to go to Joe and Medford. Joe, appreciate your patience. Next on Nightside, go right ahead, Joe.
Hello. Yes, I'm a former employee of National Grid. Okay, and some people may be interested to know that, at least for the white collar employees, they're entitled to bonuses. And I'm talking about tens and multiple tens of thousands of dollars per employee.
Okay, I assume you were not a white white collar employee.
No, I am, Well you are, so.
How much would you get?
Uh?
You were still you said you are currently an employee or reform employee, former former? Okay, when did you leave National Grid?
Year ago?
Year ago? And how long? How many years had you put in with them?
M I'd say six six?
Okay? Uh? And you were a white collar employee. Did you get bonuses?
Yep? Okay?
Did you leave the Why that sounds like a pretty good gig. Why'd you leave the company?
M tough place to work?
Tough place to work, meaning they were, uh demanding of your time and all of that. Or what you're a white collar right?
Yeah, pressure cooker job?
Okay, what are you doing now? If I could ask.
Consultant?
Whenever people tell me they were a consultant, what type of consulting do you do? That's kind of a big umbrella term. I never quite understand that.
Uh, software development.
Okay, you're doing well, I hope, yeah, pretty good. Better than National Grid.
I wouldn't say that another thing people would be interested in. Did you know that couple of years ago they gave a dividend to at least the white collar employees of hundreds of dollars to help defray the increase and utility bills.
No, I didn't know that. But again, it sounds to me like you were working for a great company and you left voluntarily or did you Did you leave involuntarily?
Voluntarily?
Voluntarily and it was just the stress of the job. What did you do that was so stressful there.
Software?
What do you mean software? I know what software is. What did you what did? What were your duties? What did you have to do? I mean, I gotta I got to put a radio show on four hours a night, five nights a week, okay, And I spent about eight hours a day preparing for my show. A lot of time, to be honest with you, And and I'm doing my show in front of tens of thousands of people every night, and there's a lot of pressure, but I enjoy it. It sounds to me like you had a great gig
and you left it. I can't of imagine what sort of pressure would have run you out the door. But that's okay. You found you found a better job or a job that's less stressful, and I hope you're doing well with it.
Yeah. Thanks so many hours.
Yeah, I said life can be tough. Life can be tough, Joe, As simple as that. Hey, Joe, I got to get one more. Appreciate you, Carl, Thank you much. Let me go to Jack in Somerset. Jack going to get you in here under the wire before the ten o'clock news.
Go right ahead, okay, Dan, just a quick thought. I'm an attorney. I've practiced for forty three years. I just want to talk about the gentleman who was concerned about his excise taxes. I was also I was also an assessor for fourteen years. And of the chapter fifty on the chapter fifty nine, excise taxes are not determined by the current value of the vehicle. It's determined by the
manufacturers suggestive retail pride. So that's why that gentleman's tax might be a lot higher than he thinks it is.
Okay, okay, So what you're saying is when he if he bought the when the car was the manufacturer's really uh suggested recently.
Manufacturers would be retail predate.
When the pres when the car was purchased, Oh.
You know, when the car was first when the manufacturer put the car on the market. And then each year it does go down by a percentage. I haven't been an assessin now for about more than fifteen years, but I was one for fourteen years, and I'm driving it. I don't have the shot in front of me, but the excise tax is not going to be he can he can go to anybody who wants to determine what the current value is it's not going to change his exercise taxes.
Well, he's he's.
Paying, he's paying.
He's paying seventy two dollars for ex dice tax. And again he said, I forget the type car. I guess it was. Whatever the type car it was.
That he it was an idea.
I think he said it was a nineteen ninety nine Infinity.
Yes he did, Yes he did, So that would been, I guess, considered a pretty good car when it was new.
He's probably paying an excise tax on of value. And again i'm driving, I don't have a shot in front of me, and I haven't been an assessor for quite a few years, but I was one for fourteen years. I think it's going to be twenty percent of what the manufacturers suggested retail price was on the car. That will determine the current value, and that's how his excise tax is calculated.
So, for example, hypothetically the car was forty thousand dollars when it was first bought, you know, out of the showroom. And if you're saying, they assume it's every year it goes down a little bit. Look, I have a Vovo, I have a twenty thirteen Vovo, and.
I think I've been paying the same excise tax for the last five or ten years.
It's pretty well. It's it's twenty thirteen. I've only owned it eleven years, so it seems to have.
Stayed no matter how long you've owned it. It matter is what year it was precast, I mean manufacturer I bought.
Yeah, again, Jack, appreciate it. I think we're saying the same thing. I bought it new, and obviously the first year out of the box, the excise tax hitching between the eyes, and then it does go down and it seems to have stabilize. So I'm at about eighty eight bucks. Uh. And I think that's been the same, uh, which gives credit to what your what your your credibility, what you're saying.
I appreciate it's it's mass chapter fifty nine.
Yeah, I'll be sure to look down one up tomorrow. Thanks. Jack, appreciate you calling very much to thank you much. I hope that makes tom feel a little bit better. We're going to take a break here. Thanks. Uh. If you're on the line, stay there. If you're not, I would like to get back to the question of your electric bill, your gas bill, uh, and how upset are you? And who who who should be blamed for this? I look at the politicians on Beacon Hill as the first suspects.
We've had some folks who have been pretty opinion here, but feel free to join the conversation, opinionated or otherwise six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty and six one seven nine three one ten thirty coming right back after nights after this