COVID relief: Tucson Council working to help with utility bills
Credit: KGUN, Tucson, AZ
Duration: 01:52s
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CUSTOMERS -- BEHIND ON THEIRBILLS.
THEIR INCOME CUT -- BYCOVID-19.
NOW -- THE CITYCOUNCIL IS STEPPING IN -- TOHELP.
NINE ON YOUR SIDE'SCRAIG SMITH REPORTS.
SUPER:COVID ASSISTANCE/ TUCSONUTILITY HELPTUCSON ELECTRIC SAYS AS OF THEMIDDLE OF LAST MONTH IT'S LOWINCOME PROGRAM SHOWED MORETHAN 37 HUNDRED CUSTOMERSBEHIND ON THEIR BILLS WITHAMOUNTS IN ARREARS RANGINGFROM 33 DOLLARS TO ABOUT SEVENTHOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE AMOUNTOWED AVERAGED OUT TO SIXHUNDRED DOLLARS.
TUCSON CITYCOUNCIL BROUGHT TOGETHERREPRESENTATIVES OF TEP,SOUTHWEST GAS AND THE CITY 'SOWN WATER, SEWER AND GARBAGEUTILITY TO TRY TO WORK OUTWAYS TO FORGIVE SOME UTILITYDEBT AND ALLOW CUSTOMERS TOSPREAD OUT PAYMENTS ON THEREST OF WHAT THEY OWE.
TEP'SREPRESENTATIVE SAYS THEELECTRIC UTILITY IS COMMITTEDTO HELP.
STEVEN EDDY/TEP 26:58WE JUST WANT PEOPLE OURCUSTOMERS TO GET THEASSISTANCE.
THAT THEY NEED SOTHAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO GETRELIABLE ENERGY.
27:09 THECOMPANIES AND THE CITYDISCUSSED VARIOUS COMBINATIONSOF ASSISTANCE BUT THEY ARESTILL DEVELOPING SPECIFICS.
INSOME CASES UTILITIES NEEDAPPROVAL FROM THE ARIZONACORPORATION COMMISSION TOFORGIVE PORTIONS OF WHATCUSTOMERS OWE.
ASKED ABOUTENFORCEMENT OF THE CURFEWTUCSON ENACTED LAST FRIDAY,THE CITY MANAGER SAYS POLICEHAVE NOT CITED ANYONE FORBREAKING CURFEW SO FAR.
MIKEORTEGA/TUCSON CITY MANAGER:55:05 WHAT THEY'RE FINDING ISTHROUGH THE EDUCATION PROCESSWHEN THEY TELL SOMEONE, "HEYDID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS ANDTHEY NEED TO COMPLY, BECAUSETHE WAY THAT WE WORDED THEORDINANCE IS COMPLIANCE --THAT'S WHAT WE WANT ISCOMPLIANCE AND IF SOMEONE ISBELLIGERENT AND THEY'RE NOTFOLLOWING THE DIRECTIVE THEN ACITATION IS ISSUED." 55:26RUNS: 21 THE CITY COUNCIL'SORDER THAT SUSPENDED BUS FARESWAS SET TO EXPIRE AT THE ENDOF THE MONTH.
COUNCIL DECIDEDTO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM PASTDECEMBER 31 AND DECIDE IN THEFIRST COUNCIL MEETING OF THENEW YEAR WHETHER TO CONTINUETHE BREAK ON BUS FARES.
CRAIGSMITH, KGUN9 ON YOUR SIDEAR