Avista request appalling

Is anyone else as appalled as I am regarding the latest Avista rate increase? You’re kidding me with spending $38,000 on portraits, first class travel (I’ve never been able to afford first class), entertainment at sporting events and employee gifts?

Then they have the gall to stick it to the ratepayers for all this stuff? The economy doesn’t exist for most of us. Unemployment is sky high, housing is flat, businesses are going under at a record rate, and Gov. Gregoire just “discovered” that we are another $1.2 billion short in the budget!

Yet Avista “needs” more money to fix up their old equipment (the same sad tune they have been singing for years). Maybe they could use some of their portrait and entertainment money!

I am glad that the company spokesperson, Debbie Simock, feels that $38,000 is only a “small” error. It’s easier to “overlook” the small errors when you are spending someone else’s money!

I would like to know who are these “Washington regulators”? Seems they have no concept of reality and continually grant additional rate increases. Has there been a year yet that Avista didn’t ask for a rate increase?

Neil Schwaiger

Moses Lake