Justification For A Utility Rate Hike

  • Monday, March 30, 2015

In justification of a proposed utility rate hike the CEO of Cleveland Utilities cited a March issue of a regional magazine that declares Cleveland Utilities rates are 18.7 percent below the national average. This is not a new tactic but a worn out one that gets played over and over again and not only with a utility hike but with property taxes. 

According to data from 2008-2012 from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bradley County’s median individual wage of 24,627 is 18.9 percent below the national individual median wage. It gets worse when looking at the median wage for a household. The median wage for a household in Bradley County for the same years was 40,614 or 30.6 percent below the national median of 53,046.  The average household income for Bradley County during the same period at 54,979 was 32.8% lower than the national average of 73,034. 

So the next time someone stresses our utility rates or our taxes are lower in this area of the country kindly remind them so are wages. 

Mike Lynn

Latest Headlines
Opinion
Democratic View On Top State Senate Issues - March 18, 2024
  • 3/18/2024

Campbell bill seeks to save lives by studying suicide trends in Tennessee 3 p.m. Senate Regular Calendar — SB 1787 , by Sen. Heidi Campbell, would require state health officials to produce ... more

The Odor Of Mendacity - And Response (2)
  • 3/16/2024

The Fulton County judge, Scott McAfee, overseeing the Fani Willis prosecution of Donald Trump and eighteen other defendants has spoken. In response to a motion by defendants to remove Willis ... more

Capitol Report From State Rep. Greg Vital For March 15
  • 3/15/2024

General Assembly confirms new Tennessee State Supreme Justice Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Mary L. Wagner to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session ... more