Latest news with #Yonce
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$14 more for gas a month in Missouri? What to know about Spire's planned rate hike
Your gas bill might soon rise $14 per month in Missouri. But there's something you can do about it. Spire is asking the Missouri Public Service Commission to approve an increase to gas rates. This month, you can participate in public hearings to share your thoughts about the plan. The natural gas company was most recently approved for a rate increase in 2022, after two in 2021. Missouri residential natural gas prices have been consistently higher than both Kansas and the national average for at least a decade, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Spire doesn't charge a mark up on natural gas usage, which makes up almost 50% of an energy bill. More than 40% of your Spire payment goes to delivery charges, which is how the energy company can make a profit and what Spire is hoping to increase. The rate increase was filed in November 2024, months before Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed a major energy bill. In the future, utility companies will be able to charge customers for new power plants while they are being constructed, as opposed to after they're finished. Critics say this could lead to higher utility costs, as St. Louis Public Radio reported. Spire reported earnings of $195.2 million from their gas utilities in the first three months of 2025, up from $188 million during the same period a year earlier, according to the company's quarterly report. Under Spire's proposed plan, the average residential customer would pay $14 more per month, a 15% increase of the total bill. This would raise the delivery charge portion of the gas bill, where gas companies make their profits. The Public Service Commission could approve some, all or none of the proposed increase. If approved, Missourians would have higher gas bills by Oct. 24, 2025. Spire says the extra money would go toward offsetting the costs of higher inflation and interest rates, streamlining operations and to 'manage the impacts of weather and the effects of conservation on customer usage.' Spire says the rate increase would increase revenues by $236 million per year. According to Spire, this rate increase just offsets the decrease in natural gas prices which took effect in November 2024. The Spire website states, 'Overall customer bills will continue to be slightly lower or unchanged compared to what customers paid in 2024 when new rates take effect Fall 2025.' The higher costs are necessary to improve Spire's infrastructure, said David Yonce, managing director of regulatory affairs. 'Affordability is always top of mind for Spire, and we think about our customers, and the impacts that they're experiencing in their lives more generally, any time that we're incurring costs and we're spending money,' Yonce said. He said that the company needs to profit so it can get loans to build and make repairs. 'It's important for Spire … to be healthy, and to be healthy means that you have to earn a reasonable return so that you can attract capital to invest in your system,' Yonce said. Higher energy costs would tighten budgets for Missourians already struggling with rising housing and food costs, said Garrett Griffin, spokesperson for Kansas City advocacy organization Communities Creating Opportunities. As a large, publicly traded company, Griffin said that 'they can absorb some price increases in a way that ordinary people cannot.' Griffin pointed out that Missourians don't have a choice whether to buy gas from Spire, as the company has a monopoly on both the Kansas City and St. Louis metros, along with other counties throughout the state. 'We are all at Spire's mercy. Because, whether you're rich or poor or somewhere in the middle, we all have to pay heating bills in the winter,' he said. There will be a public hearing in Kansas City on Wednesday, June 4, at 6 p.m. at the Gregg/Klice Community Center in the 18th and Vine District. In addition, there will be two virtual public hearings on Tuesday, June 3, at noon and 6 p.m. Residents can join using Cisco Webex. You can also send your comments to the Public Service Commission directly. Their email address is pscinfo@ and their mailing address is: Missouri Public Service Commission PO Box 360 Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 Missourians can get help from Spire, the government and nonprofits to keep their gas running. Residents can apply for payment plans through Spire or energy assistance through the Missouri state government, among other programs. Have more questions about utilities in Missouri? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklahoma property owner says ex-friends turned squatters owe him $180,000 in rent and refuse to leave
David Yonce of Mounds, Oklahoma, has a word of warning for others considering renting property or a home to friends: Make sure to have a contract. "Even if your best friend wants to lease your house, dot all your i's and cross all your t's,' he told ABC News Channel 8 in Tulsa. 'Do a very thorough job of the lease because you just don't know when it's a con.' Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead 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) Home prices in America could fly through the roof in 2025 — here's the big reason why and how to take full advantage (with as little as $10) Yonce learned the hard way. He and his wife were good friends with another couple. Three years ago, Yonce started a business with his friend and — as part of the arrangement — offered to let the couple rent a home on his property for $5,000 a month. For a few months, the couple paid, but then stopped. Three years on, they refuse to leave and Yonce calculates they owe more than $180,000 in back rent. "It hurts, honestly, it's hurtful," Yonce said. 'We considered these people our best friends, my wife and I's best friends.' So why can't Yonce have law enforcement remove the couple from his property? The problem is that the rental agreement he made with his ex-business partner was part of their business deal. There was no lease, which means Yonce and his wife can't evict the couple. Now they're forced to sue their ex-friends turned squatters. A squatter is generally defined as a person who occupies a property without the owner's consent. They may live in abandoned homes, vacant land or even buildings. While some high-profile squatter cases have grabbed headlines recently, legal experts say squatter cases are relatively rare. New York City tenants rights lawyer Samuel Himmelstein told Newsweek that he's seen an increase in 'licensee holdovers' — people who originally had permission to live in a property but refuse to leave after that agreement ends. This is the situation Yonce is in. Such cases can be complicated because, unlike traditional squatters, these individuals were once invited onto the property, making eviction harder. If you're renting a property, protect yourself with these steps: Never rely on verbal or business agreements to rent a property. A rental agreement should clearly outline the rent terms, lease length and payment due. If the rental is part of a business agreement, make sure the lease covers what happens if the business dissolves. Ask for a rental application (consider doing a background check) from all prospective tenants, including friends, and require a deposit as part of the lease. This helps formalize the arrangement and gives you recourse to recover at least some funds if tenants stop paying. The lease should outline what happens if rent isn't paid, laying out late fees, grace period and the formal eviction process. Removing non-paying tenants can be a lengthy, expensive battle — especially if local laws favor tenant rights. A well-documented process ensures you can take legal action quickly if needed. Tenant and squatter laws vary, and in some states, evicting a non-paying tenant can take months. Make sure you understand the steps required for eviction in your state. For example, in Oklahoma, landlords must post a notice and send a certified letter, then go to court. Yonce's experience is a cautionary tale about mixing business, friendship, and real estate. No matter how close a landlord and tenant are, it's good to keep lease agreements professional to protect your legal rights. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
