About a decade ago I sat on the Metropolitan Sewer District Rate Commission. Not that I wanted the seat…many in the west county chamber felt that “we” needed representation, so, being head of the Government Affairs and Transportation Committee dropped me into the chair.
Oh yes, never use “fun” and “sewer district rate commission” in the same sentence.
One interesting factoid: back then about 20% of MSD accounts were delinquent. That appears to still be the case. In 2019, for example, the increase in ‘unbilled’ or not collectable accounts was better than $8 million – a good recovery from the $9 million+ the year before!
Yes, ending sewer service seldom happens. Closing a sewer connection is a lot of work, and, what goes into the sewers no one really wants to keep around.
Still, even in good times utilities struggle to get some customers to pay their bills. Some ignore the bills. Many simply can’t afford utility service.
Fast forward…this next week hundreds of thousands of Missourians lose that $600 a week pandemic bonus payment. Per press reports, Mitch McConnell’s ability to get Republican senators to do the right thing – three months before an election no less – remains ‘iffy.’ Conventional wisdom says the $600 a week never happens again but $200 a week might. Note, “might.”
What else happens next week? Many of us get our electric bills. I expect mine to come in just under $300.
Remember, the Missouri Temporary Assistance maximum monthly grant for a family of three is $292.
Yes, unemployment yields more, but, without the pandemic bonus Missouri’s maximum unemployment benefit $320 a week/$1,387 a month. And, Missouri unemployment is time limited. Many of those laid off in March are reaching their end date in coming weeks. They lose the $600 plus the $320 (or less).
As noted in a front page story in the Sunday, July 26 St. Louis Post Dispatch, a lot of people can’t pay their utility bills. The sad truth: the majority of those who deserve utility assistance never get any.
You see, government funds to help heat and cool families peaked during the Ronald Reagan years. Most assistance today comes from donations to charities and churches. It is never enough.
Plus, lacking money to pay every deserving person, the result is triage. A charitable payment only gets made if that meager amount will insure continued service. The folks at the electric company are very nice but paying on old balances yet still pulling the plug accomplishes nothing.
What can families do? Save money for utilities by getting food stamps and Medicaid. In June the average food stamp benefit in Missouri was $173.17 per person. or, almost $520 for a family of three! Medicaid, meanwhile, can reduce the cost of health coverage for a child to zero.
No matter what happens in Congress, Missouri families need to take advantage of the programs there to help them. Yes, the paperwork is hard and the process cumbersome and humbling. That help is there. It can make a tremendous difference to a struggling family.
And, a Vote For Amendment 2 on August 4th expands Medicaid so the unemployed and more working Missourians get access to the health care they deserve.
By the way, now that you’re thinking about it, how about sending some money to charities and church funds which help with utility bills? Every dollar – or $25 – makes a difference.
Glenn Koenen