Editorial

Palm Drive saves a life

Look for the win-win

Editor: Does anyone remember the novel "1984?" Well, it seems

Cittaslow clarification

Not up to par

While some of us long for the days of our younger years, when we spent our summer breaks sleeping in, going to the movies or hanging with friends, we aren’t picturing the realities of hundreds of Sonoma County youth, who have spent the past months raising steer or milking goats, feeding hogs and grooming sheep.

EDITOR:Lastwinter,inspiteoftryingtokeepthethermostatlow,mypropanebillskeptgoingup.Well,theculpritturnedoutnottobemyusage.My(nowformer)propanesupplierhadbeenquietlyraisingthepricebymorethan$1pergallon. Isay"quietly"becausethestatementsIwaspayingdidnotshowthepricepergallon,onlythegallonsandtotalcharge,soittookmeawhiletorealizewhatwasgoingon.InMarch2005,thepricewasabout$2.65pergallon.ButbySeptember,itwentupto$2.98pergal.Then$3.34pergalinNovember.Andupto$3.66pergalinMarch2006‹morethat$1pergalhigherthanthepreviousyearandalmosta40percentincrease. Atfirst,Ithoughtthatthiswasageneraltrend‹liketheincreaseingasoline.WhenIcalledotherlocalpropanesuppliers,Iwassurprisedtolearnthattheywerestillquotingbetween$2.45and$2.75pergallon,nowhereclosetothe$3.66my(former)supplierhadbeencharging.Andtheirtankrentalswerelower,too.Iuseabout500gallonsperyear,whichistypical.Unlikeelectricity,somepropanesupplierschargemorepergallonthelessyouuse. WhenIcomplainedtomyformersupplieraboutthehighprice,theyimmediatelyrefiguredmylasttankfillatabout$2.50pergallon(a$100credit). Buttheywouldn'tgivemeanycreditforthefillssinceNovemberthatchargedwaymorethan$2.50pergallon.IfigureIwasstilloverchargedby$200. So,ifyouhavebeenpayingmorethanabout$2.75pergallon,checkwhatothersuppliersarecharging.Itwaseasytoswitch.Ittookaboutanhourformynewsuppliertoremovetheoldtank,transferthegas,andinstallthenewtank.Andaskyournewsupplieriftheycandeliveryouroldtanktoyouroldsupplieratnocharge.Thatmayalsosaveyouover$50thatsomecompanieschargetopickuptheiremptytanks. Apparently,thereislittleornoregulationofthepropaneindustry.So,shoparound. -DonKelsey,Guerneville