Some members of Rochester City Council contend that last year’s budget allocated funds that could have been used to study a potential public utility.
For those who don’t love the service from RG&E, this has been a big issue for years.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said last week on "Connections" that he is not trying to block a public utility, but he wants the county to share the cost of a study.
Our guests explain why they think the timeline should speed up.
In studio:
- Mary Lupien, member of Rochester City Council
- Michi Cole Wenderlich, campaign and policy coordinator for Metro Justice
*Note: RG&E sent the following statement:
Metro Justice’s repeated claims against RG&E and calls for Government-controlled Power, which is not in the best interest of our customers or our employees, the women and men who do the work on behalf of our customers day in and day out in blue sky and storms, and which would also put Rochester taxpayers on the hook for over $10 Billion, have failed to gain support in the mainstream. The community doesn’t need a study or the socialism it calls for, it deserves facts.
The group’s allegations about failing infrastructure, profits, and customer service are outdated and unfounded. RG&E has invested millions in infrastructure in the last three years, including new substations in Sodus and Irondequoit, circuit upgrades in Webster, and millions of dollars into natural gas infrastructure. They use inaccurate profit numbers to negatively portray RG&E at their whim, when the most volatile portion of customers’ bills is unregulated supply price, which the Company does not control nor profits from. They also completely ignore the significant customer service improvements the Company has made since the pandemic, choosing instead to highlight the efforts made to collect on arrears. When a portion of customers do not pay their bills for whatever reason, it costs all customers more money, and that’s why collections are so vital to any utility. In 2024 alone, RG&E made more than $375 million in capital investments, including customer service, leading to dramatic improvements in call center operations and customer satisfaction.
At RG&E, our future doesn’t hinge on an unnecessary study or negative claims from years past, it depends on our commitment to keep moving forward and serving this community, with the facts in hand.
