ONG gas is High

[windowphobe]

$159 here for the month. (I have a smallish three-bedroom house.)

[mranderson]

$159 here for the month. (I have a smallish three-bedroom house.)

What is "smallish?"

[Jack]

$275 here, for a 1700 sq foot home. Outrageous.

[windowphobe]

"Smallish": per the Assessor's records, 1,060 square feet, not counting the garage. (Then again, the garage isn't heated, though it is nicely insulated.)

[Keith]

"Smallish": per the Assessor's records, 1,060 square feet, not counting the garage. (Then again, the garage isn't heated, though it is nicely insulated.)

My house is smaller than "smallish." A $179.00 gas bill (normally $19.00), for an 850 sg ft home. And.....we just had new siding and storm windows installed. I thought that would make a big difference, but I haven't seen it yet.

[Bobby H]

My gas bill doubled last month, likely due to the cold snap we had in December. Hopefully the warm temperatures we've had will reverse some of those price spikes.

As to who is struggling, I can't really fault CenterPoint Energy (my NG provider). They're not making huge profits off this -due in part to limits set by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. However there are others in the fossil fuels "food chain" that are indeed making out like bandits.

The end result will be price hikes for everything. Eventually the squeeze being put on us by the oil and gas industry will cause quite a lot of inflation.

However, even more worrisome is the totally unchecked price gouging happening in the health care industrial complex. The United States is now spending 16% of its entire gross economic output on health care costs. That's really really BAD.

Lots of people have been getting by, trying to maintain unsustainable lifestyles by cashing out the equity in their homes -basically treating their property like a big ATM. With interest rates rising that part of our "credit card economy" is starting to slow and grind to an eventual halt.

Unless some steps are taken by lots of different parties we can expect to see some serious inflation happening. When your costs of doing business or just living outweigh your paycheck then you just have to charge more money. Or you have to cut out lots of things and do without. The latter means a lot less spending to keep the economy afloat. 70% of our economy relies on people having enough money left over after bills to buy stuff.

[sweetdaisy]

So, just got my gas bill. ACK! $198 for a 1500 sq.ft. house. Fuel cost was a little over $12/Dekatherm. I'm a little shocked, but can understand it. Guess I need to be better about turning down that thermostat!

The good thing: I'm doing the average payment plan and only have to pay $47 this month. WHEW! It'll be worth it to make payments during the summer.

Like Bobby said, hopefully the warmer temps we've been having lately will help reverse this trend.

[Oki_Man5]

I am curious as to how much is the Franchise Fee and the Sales tax paid to the city ou you all's bills.

Out here in the country outside any city limits we do not pay a franchise fee nor a sales tax. But ONG has been charging me a city tax which I am trying to get stopped and refunded.

About the sales tax and frasnchise fee, a couple years ago I complained to the corporation Commission that the tax and fee should be on the usage (Cubic Feet) not the bill in dollars; one of the members agreed with me, but the other two did not respond. This might be something to think about in 25 years when they want to revote the franchise. LOL As if anyone will remember. LOL

Pete

[windowphobe]

In Oklahoma City proper, the franchise fee is 3 percent on service charge plus cost of gas; the city tax is 4 percent.

[Oki_Man5]

So that is 7% to the city. On some of those bills discussed here, that would be over $15.00.