Tallahassee utility customers stunned by high electric bills after rare Florida snowfall
The once-in-a-lifetime winter storm dazzled north Florida last month, but the awestruck wonder thawed almost as quickly as the snow did when Tallahassee residents received their monthly electric bill.
Unaccustomed to the cold, many had their heaters working double time last month. Now, it's time to pay up.
"During that week, we saw very, very different temperatures, abnormally cold temperatures," City Manager Reese Goad said during the city's latest budget hearing. "When we see that, usage goes up."
Residents bantered back and forth on social media, mostly shocked about the steep increase. Many said their bills went up by $100 to $200. Some said theirs even doubled. "I about fell out of my chair when I got mine," one person said.
"Mine is abnormally high every single month lol," another person said.
Goad told the Tallahassee Democrat that the city saw around a 20% increase in usage last month due to the persistent, sub-freezing temperatures. Tallahassee utilities almost hit a "new all-time peak demand," he said, and would have done so had schools been in session.
But even with the extreme weather, sales have remained fairly flat, Goad said. During the budget hearing, he told city commissioners that city staff is sensitive to the high bills and that they are working with customers if they need help.
The city is creating payment plans with customers to soften the blow, and it works out, Goad said, because as winter turns into spring, usage starts to go back down, as will the bills.
"Good news is, the weather's moderated, which goes back the other direction and overall consumption will start to balance," he said.
But even with the warmer weather and some relief in sight, people are still in sticker shock. "My bill has never been this high ever," one person said.
Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee snow storm's bite lingers as customers get utility bills
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
FEMA staff confused after head said he was unaware of US hurricane season, sources say
FEMA staff confused after head said he was unaware of US hurricane season, sources say The remark was made during a briefing by David Richardson, who has led the Federal Emergency Management Agency since early May. The U.S. hurricane season officially began on Sunday. Show Caption Hide Caption NOAA, FEMA cuts will impact hurricane season, experts warn The Trump administration's budget cuts at NOAA and FEMA will have an adverse affect on how the U.S. responds to hurricanes, experts warn. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA's parent agency, said the comment was a joke and that FEMA is prepared for hurricane season. Richardson was appointed as the new chief of FEMA last month after his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, was abruptly fired. WASHINGTON - Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were left baffled on Monday after the head of the U.S. disaster agency said he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season, according to four sources familiar with the situation. The remark was made during a briefing by David Richardson, who has led FEMA since early May. It was not clear to staff whether he meant it literally, as a joke, or in some other context. The U.S. hurricane season officially began on Sunday and lasts through November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast last week that this year's season is expected to bring as many as 10 hurricanes. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA's parent agency, said the comment was a joke and that FEMA is prepared for hurricane season. The spokesperson said under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Richardson "FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens." Richardson said during the briefing that there would be no changes to the agency's disaster response plans despite having told staff to expect a new plan in May, the sources told Reuters. Richardson's comments come amid widespread concern that the departures of a raft of top FEMA officials, staff cuts and reductions in hurricane preparations will leave the agency ill-prepared for a storm season forecast to be above normal. Democrats criticized Richardson following the Reuters report. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer posted the Reuters headline about Richardson on X and said he was "unaware of why he hasn't been fired yet." Representative Bennie Thompson, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee with oversight of FEMA, issued a statement to Reuters that read: "Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don't know what or when hurricane season is, you're not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there.' Hurricanes kill dozens of people and cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually across a swath of U.S. states every year. The storms have become increasingly more destructive and costly due to the effects of climate change. Richardson's comment purporting ignorance about hurricane season spread among agency staff, spurring confusion and reigniting concern about his lack of familiarity with FEMA's operations, said three sources. Richardson, who has no disaster response experience, said during Monday's briefing, a daily all-hands meeting held by phone and videoconference, that he will not be issuing a new disaster plan because he does not want to make changes that might counter the FEMA Review Council, the sources said. President Donald Trump created the council to evaluate FEMA. Its members include DHS head Noem, governors and other officials. In a May 15 staff town hall, Richardson said a disaster plan, including tabletop exercises, would be ready for review by May 23. Confusion The back-and-forth on updating the disaster plan and a lack of clear strategic guidance have created confusion for FEMA staff, said one source. Richardson has evoked his military experience as a former Marine artillery officer in conversations with staff. Before joining FEMA, he was assistant secretary at DHS' office for countering weapons of mass destruction, which he has told staff he will continue to lead. Richardson was appointed as the new chief of FEMA last month after his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, was abruptly fired. Hamilton had publicly broken with Trump over the future of the agency, but sources told Reuters that Trump allies had already been maneuvering to oust him because they were unhappy with what they saw as Hamilton's slow-moving effort to restructure FEMA. Trump has said FEMA should be shrunk or even eliminated, arguing states can take on many of its functions, as part of a wider downsizing of the federal government. About 2,000 full-time FEMA staff, one-third of its total, have been terminated or voluntarily left the agency since the start of the Trump administration in January. Despite Noem's prior comments that she plans to eliminate FEMA, in May she approved Richardson's request to retain more than 2,600 short-term disaster response and recovery employees whose terms were set to expire this year, one of the sources said, confirming an earlier report by NBC News. Those short-term staff make up the highest proportion of FEMA employees, about 40%, and are a pillar of the agency's on-the-ground response efforts. FEMA recently sharply reduced hurricane training and workshops for state and local emergency managers due to travel and speaking restrictions imposed on staff, according to prior Reuters reporting.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Florida's ‘Fallen Tree Act' postponed just as hurricane season begins — here's what to know about this bill
As the National Hurricane Center eyes a potential storm off the southeast coast this week, Florida's hurricane season has kicked off — along with the inevitable damage it will bring. That leaves many homeowners anxious to know the fate of Florida's proposed Fallen Tree Act. Looks like they'll have to wait till the 2026 hurricane season. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) The bill was originally slated to take effect this July — in time for peak hurricane season between mid-August and late October. But as the Talahassee Democrat reports, Florida lawmakers indefinitely postponed debate on the bill in order to discuss the state budget. The Fallen Tree Act may or may not be reintroduced in 2026. If it is reintroduced and passes, it will shift liability for fallen trees onto the property owners whose trees fall. For now, Floridians are still stuck paying for any damage on their own property caused by their neighbor's tree — unless they can prove clear negligence on the part of their neighbor. Proponents of the bill believe it's unfair for people to have to pay for property damage caused by their neighbor's tree. Even if insurance covers the costs, each claim means higher premiums and paying a deductible. Advocates of the Fallen Tree Act also liked the fact that it would grant homeowners the right to remove a neighbor's tree if it was growing partially on their property without permission. But as Medium reports, not everyone was in favor of the bill. Some argued that extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes are beyond a homeowner's control. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it The Florida Insurance Council expressed concern that the bill would lead to an uptick in litigation between neighbors that would, in turn, lead to more lawsuits against insurance companies. Others warned that the Fallen Tree Act would trigger higher homeowners insurance premiums due to the aforementioned potential increase in lawsuits. Finally, some critics worried the bill would discourage people from planting trees, leading to environmental impacts. One way or another, Florida homeowners need to prepare for property damage due to hurricanes this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations predicts "above-normal hurricane activity" in the Atlantic, with 13 to 19 named storms. The cheapest home insurance policy may not offer the best coverage in the event of damage. Read your policy carefully to know what's covered and what your deductibles look like. Make sure you have enough saved up to cover your deductible in the event of fallen tree damage. Even better, save up an emergency fund that can cover at least three months of essential bills. Most policies don't cover tree removal until a tree actually causes damage. Even when tree removal is covered, there's usually a limit of about $1,000 per tree, which doesn't necessarily cover the entire cost of the job. This Old House puts the average cost of professional tree removal at $200 to $2,000. The cost hinges on a number of factors including the size, type and location of the tree. Get estimates. While you can proactively remove trees on your own property to prevent damage, you can't necessarily force a neighbor to do the same. If there's a tree on a neighbor's property that's threatening yours — say, because it's dead or the branches have not been trimmed in ages — you should put something in writing to that neighbor expressing concern and asking them to handle the problem. Keep copies of that communication in case you need to prove negligence in the course of an insurance claim. An alternative is to offer to split the cost of tree removal with a neighbor if you're worried their tree will cause harm to your property. Let's say it costs $800 to remove the tree and you split it evenly. If your homeowners insurance deductible is $750, you come out ahead by spending $400 to address the problem. Not only does that save you money, but it spares you a potential headache. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
E&E News
5 days ago
- E&E News
Bipartisan House lawmakers launch group on extreme heat
An Arizona Democrat and a New York Republican are teaming up to form the Congressional Extreme Heat Caucus in an attempt to find bipartisan solutions for deadly temperatures. 'We hope this caucus can make sure the United States is better prepared for the inevitable increase in temperatures, not just in Arizona and the Southwest but all across the country,' Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton (D) said in an interview. He's creating the caucus with New York Rep. Mike Lawler, a moderate Republican who bucked his party last year by expressing support for the nation's first proposed regulation to protect workers from heat by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Advertisement 'Extreme heat kills more Americans each year than any other weather event — over 1,300 lives lost, including 570 in New York alone — and it's a growing threat to the Hudson Valley,' Lawler said in a statement. 'That's why I'm co-chairing the Heat Caucus to drive real solutions, raise awareness, and protect our communities from this deadly risk.'
