On October 12, 2017 I read a press release in the Wilmington News Journal with the headline “Blan electric rates going down.” The release stated that the Board of Public Affairs will pass along a cost savings from Indiana Municipal Power Agency of approximately 5 percent to all of their residential customers in the new year. It also went on to encourage everyone to observe the attractive new downtown street lights that were purchased and installed by the BPA.

All good news in a press release just before the November elections with the all-important Blanchester earnings tax that made promises of doing away with the BPA Board.

November came and the earnings tax failed. How did the BPA reward themselves with their victory? Well, according to my February BPA bill, they have decided to keep those electric savings in the form of a 10 percent increase in the water rate and a 15 percent increase in the sewer rate — all but eliminating any savings on my bill! They conveniently left those rate increases out of their Oct. 12 press release.

So, to all of you Clinton County residents that belong to the county aggregation program, I say, “I am envious!” I am envious of your electric rate going from 6.45 cents per kWh to 4.88 cents per kWh — a 24 percent decrease as published in the News Journal on Feb. 1, 2018. I guess I will anxiously await my March BPA bill where my electric rate will go from 11.47 cents per kWh down to 10.90 cents per kWh.

R. Douglas Naylor

Blanchester