Avista being fair?

I see Avista is calling for another rate hike here in Spokane and also in North Idaho. It seems to me that we have had an exceptionally wet winter and spring. The Spokane River has been running at or near flood stage for months now. People from North Idaho say they can’t remember a year when their lakes have been so high. Lakes to rivers to hydroelectric dams. I wonder how much extra profit Avista has made with this record-setting amount of moisture. Surely the good stewards of our water resources would be able to tell us what that number is, and then justify why they need the increase. Are they not willing to share the good fortune that Mother Nature has endowed us with?

I realize hydro dams need repairs and updating, but wouldn’t that be include in their business plan? Have they just kept maintenance to a minimum in the past and kept all the money to show the shareholders how well they do? Oh and what about those executive bonuses?

My mother used to tell me to put away something for a rainy day. Looks to me like Avista is doing just that at their customers expense.

Norm Ellefson

Spokane