FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT

I admit news stories get me riled up. Government waste, corruption, bullying, you name it and I am ready for a fight.

In June we received a letter from DTE telling us that our meters were going to be read a second time that month, they were making the readings more current and our bill would have a new due date. I was okay with that, two bills in one month and one of them would be small, so I thought... Wrong!!!!

I got that second bill and just about blew my top. I was positive that they were double-dipping, overcharging, you name it, I thought it. I was so angry, I sent an e-mail to my Michigan legislator asking for help and I sent another e-mail to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) complaining about this “rip-off.”

My poor husband tried and tried to explain to me that kilowatt hour by kilowatt hour we were not being overcharged. We were just being charged for our usage on a more current basis. He finally got through to me, however, my e-mails had been sent.

Then one day we received a call from a lady in Upper Management at DTE, she had been forwarded my complaint by the MPSC. This very nice lady informed me that she analyzed our utility usage and we were entitled to the Senior Rate. I explained to her that I was already on the Senior Plan, that I was looking at my bill at that moment and it was printed on the bill. She informed me they were two different programs??? Didn’t make sense to me...

I informed her that I called DTE over a year ago and asked to be put on the Senior Discount Plan and was told by their Service Representative that we didn’t qualify “because you have to stay under a certain kilowatt usage every month to qualify and some months our usage was over the allotted amount”. I grumbled something about it not being fair and “what was the sense in having a discount plan if “oops” you use too many kilowatts in say February, so now you aren’t eligible all year.” The Upper Management Representative informed me that the information I had been given was incorrect.

I then asked her why their Customer Service Representatives didn't know there was a difference between the Senior Plan and the Senior Rate? I also asked why wasn’t the public informed? Many seniors think they are getting a discount because it is printed on their bill every month.

You will never guess what I got in the mail two days ago? A large flyer from DTE stating “Did you know DTE offers a special discounted rate for seniors?”

So, anyway, yesterday I attended a senior bingo party, which my 80-year-old neighbor invited me to, and everyone was talking about the DTE mailer they had received and they were all calling to sign up for the discount plan.

It made my heart feel good. I guess a “fighter for the cause” can do some good and I will continue to fight when I feel there is a wrong out there.  And so the journey begins...