Bills are a part of life, as everyone doing their own way in the world will tell you – and it's true. Everything costs something, and we have to put up the coin to get what we want, and moreover what we need. For most, it's manageable through proper planning and smart spending.

But what absolutely nobody needs, wants or can plan in advance for is an unannounced, unexplained and unwarranted $600-plus jump in a monthly electric bill. It even sounds outrageous just talking about it like it is fictitious, but it isn't. It is a very real situation many Sullivan County NYSEG customers are dealing with. 

It can't be that everyone affected accidentally left the kitchen light on for an entire year…in one month? Regardless of the reason for such a destabilizing strike against customers, it is unjust and deplorable to drop this onto people relying on the necessary service. We all need electricity; it isn't a luxury – so why is it now feeling like it's being made to be?

We hope that this is not a recurring event. Once is more than enough. Financial hardships of any company, regardless of their product or location, being pushed onto unsuspecting customers feels so aggressively burdensome.

To get down to the cause and solution of the matter, we place our trust in our elected officials, US Congressman Josh Riley, New York Senator Peter Oberacker and New York Assembly Member Paula Kay. Be sure to let them know your thoughts, and if you have been personally impacted, tell them your story.