In North Carolina, unpaid utility bills are driving families and cities to the financial brink

[Zorro]

As many as 1 million families in North Carolina have fallen behind on their electric, water and sewage bills, threatening residents and their cities with severe financial hardship unless federal lawmakers act to approve more emergency aid.

The trouble stems from the widespread economic havoc wrought by the coronavirus, which has left millions of workers out of a job and struggling to cover their monthly costs. Together, they’ve been late or missed a total of $218 million in utility payments between April 1 and the end of June, according to data released recently by the state, nearly double the amount in arrears at this time last year.

In some cases, cities that own or operate their own utilities have been forced to absorb these losses, creating a dire situation in which the government’s attempt to save people from the financial brink instead has pushed municipal coffers to their own breaking point.

In Elizabeth City, N.C., for example, about 2,500 residents haven’t paid their electric bills on time, according to Richard Olson, the city manager. The late payments at one point proved so problematic that Olson said he calculated Elizabeth City wouldn’t have enough money to pay for its expenses in July. In response, city leaders requested and obtained a waiver from a statewide order, issued in March, that protects people from being penalized for their past-due utility bills.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/23/north-carolina-utility-bills-coronavirus/

We ain't seen nothin' yet...

[MineralMan]

1. Eviction Prevention Measures Are about to Expire, Too.

Mortgage forbearances, as well.

We're about to see some brown stuff hitting the fan for a lot of people, I think, and the blowback will be much larger than anyone thinks at the moment.

[Luz]

2. I agree. They need to do something now...like today. The

snowball is already rolling. We need to, and can, stop it before it becomes an avalanche. Otherwise we won't recognize the place by November.
Millions, literally millions, of FAMILIES losing everything they have. Job, home, car, insurance, household belongings. No food, no shelter, no healthcare, no school for the kids.
Desperate people do desperate things will be proven time and again.

[Johnny2X2X]

3. Reps are pretending this is over

The enhanced UE is expiring this week while thousands are getting laid off now. At least the people who lost their jobs a few months ago were able to pay their bills because of the enhanced UE, I know people who lost their jobs this week, they're going to really struggle.

I don't think Republicans have any idea the calamity that Trump has wrought with his denial of the virus. The economy is about to collapse completely.

[crickets]

4. There's a swift domino effect when people can't get a paycheck.

The inability to earn during a pandemic is no one's fault and shouldn't be punished. As illustrated in the OP, when entire populations can't get a paycheck, then communities can't function. It's ridiculous to hear Repubs talking about cutting aid to $100 a week - if they strangle the ability of the rank and file worker to pay basic utilities, they have set up the entire nation to fail economically. The whole "can't let 'em get too comfortable!" thought process they have going on is so divorced from reality it's scary.