Would you like to pay less on your power bill? Then vote in the LPEA elections by May 7. Over the past five years, several LPEA directors have voted to raise mandatory fixed fees that members of La Plata Electric must pay by 60 percent – to $21.50 a month. In comparable communities like Aztec, Farmington, Trinidad and Glenwood Springs, these mandatory charges are less than $10. So LPEA members are paying up to six times more. These directors claim that the increase in solar users, who pay less because of the power they generate, have driven down co-op revenue so much that LPEA needs more to keep the co-op running. The truth is that LPEA is currently holding more than $3 million in assets (even more than the co-op bylaws allow) and is in great financial shape. So why raise rates? These directors want to obstruct clean energy development in Southwest Colorado by forcing solar users to pay more than they should. There are two candidates up for re-election this year – Jack Turner and Mark Garcia – who voted against these increases and are committed to actually lowering these mandatory fees on your bill. Let’s make sure that our LPEA board members are working for us and not trying to serve their own agenda.
Rachel Landis
Durango
