If you’re an Atmos Energy consumer get ready for a rate hike because somebody has to pay for those expensive hotel rooms and lavish meals at posh restaurants.
Star-Telegram
AUSTIN — Even as Atmos Energy was removing luxurious hotel stays and limousine rides from a natural gas rate case last year, its attorneys and consultants litigating the issue were running up more bills at fancy hotels and spending more than $100 for restaurant meals, according to documents obtained by the Star-Telegram.
So, North Texans get to pay for all that fun “plus about $1.7 million more in questionable expenditures.”
And who do we thank for approving this rate hike? The three current Railroad Commissioners.
Michael Williams didn’t have any problem with the expenditures. If you have the stomach for it, there’s a partial list of the extravagant charges in the Star-Telegram article which includes 88 occurrences of meals over $100.
This would be a good time to remind you that Michael Williams has to go and that we need to hire Dale Henry for Texas Railroad Commissioner.
In the Star-Telegram endorsement of Dale Henry as Railroad Commissioner, the paper quotes Henry giving his opinion on this matter:
Quotes from a Star-Telegram article:
Henry, the retired petroleum engineer, said, “The Railroad Commission of Texas should not sit idly by as energy companies stick bills for hotel rooms and cases of wine to their ratepayers through cost-of-service rate increases” — a reference to various luxury items put in a recent rate case by Atmos Energy.
The North Texas utility removed the items after reports appeared in the Star-Telegram.
Henry also said the commissioner has not done enough to ensure that Texans pay only the appropriate commodity price of natural gas and has “not done a credible job in reviewing and approving cost-of-service rate increases for natural gas companies.”
It’s worth reading the whole article because they call attention to the fact that Henry’s opponents aren’t even clear about what the RRC does.
See Jobsanger’s take on this HERE
UPDATE: The livin’ is easy?
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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So, Williams has taken an average of $2,000 a year from Atmos. That’s less than federal limits for congressmen/senators.
Has Mr. Henry even raised $2,000? Oh no, that’s right. He’s a millionaire and can fund his own statewide race. How fortunate for him.
Of course,the article neglected to mention the millions of dollars spent by consultants and attorneys representing the cities which are then passed along to the residents. Also didn’t mention the $2 million paid to Geoffrey Gay to “protect” us from the utility companies.
Anon 9:32 Williams is a paid protector of the industries he is supposed to regulate. He has obvious conflicts of interest and his decisions suffer as a result. If you are fine with that, fine. I’m not!
Sharon, when confronted with facts to dispel your drivel, you conveniently decide to ignore the facts and respond with the same tired baseless claims. You’re proving to be a zealot with an emotional axe to grind.
Perhaps you should pursue a hobby.
I already have a hobby, but thank you.
As a matter of fact, I do have an ax to grind right into the middle of the bought-and-paid-for Railroad Commissioners. We need commissioners who can’t be bought off.
I stand by what I’ve written. We need to make new laws and rules to keep people safe.