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November 29, 2000
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PGE Rate Increase Could Go Even Higher
Portland General Electric customers
are in for another rate increase. The
company — which announced plans
in August to raise residential rates 13.5
percent due to the rising cost o f whole
sale power and natural gas — is in
stead asking to raise residential rates
by 17.1 percent starting Jan. 1.
PGE adjusted its proposal after re
viewing its entire business in prepara
tion for deregulation, whichis coming
next fall. Monday’s announcement
drew swift criticism from consumer
advocates as the region approaches
its peak usage months.
“This is a frightening amount o f
money that they are asking for,” said
Jason Eisdorfer, an attorney for the
C itizens’ Utility Board, a ratepayer
advocacy group. “A 17 percent rate
increase for residential customers —
that’s the kind o f thing that affects
people’s lives. That kind o f increase
is a real concern for us.”
A residential customer using 1,000
kilowatt hours per month would pay
$ 10.45 more per month, or 17.1 per
cent more than the current rate. Rates
for all customers, including commer
cial and industrial, would rise an av
erage 16.5 percent. PGE plans a sec
ond increase in October 2001, as de
regulation begins.
Eisdorfer said it was.troubling that
PGE wanted to implement the new
rates on an “ interim basis” Jah. 1.
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Your East Side
Connection
Lisa Reese-Johnson oversees Reese's Oil following her father, Joe Reese's retirement.
(Photo by Mark Washington/Portland Observer.)
Joe Reese Passes on Oil Company
Legacy to Daughter
If you were a resident in the met
ropolitan area o f the city o f Portland
during the mid 70’s and into the latter
80’s, and just happened to see, hear,
or call upon an ever running blue and
white householdoil deliver truck, then
you would recall “Reese’s Oil Com
pany”.
The original company founded
by Joe Reese was located on the
comerofNE Williams and Fremont. It
was housed at the gas station facility
that was also operated by Joe Reese.
You would also remember that
his concern for children was very
clearly marked on each vehicle with
his motto, “Watch For That Child."
Well, retirement is coming near,
and Joe Reese is passing on his legacy
to his daughter Lisa Reese-Johnson.
She has been there intermittently with
her father over the years and the time
has now come upon her to work
closely with Joe Reese during the
reorganization o f the company.
One o f the new programs that we
are now offering is the “Hi Neighbor"
Program. This program will allow you
to purchase oil at the bulk rate by
combining the resources o f you, your
friends, and family. All you have to
do is order the combined amount o f
400 gallons or more and each o f you
will receive the 400-gallon bulk price.
This program can save you, the cus
tomer, as much as 15cents per gallon.
This gives you the opportunity to
Tim Wilson Sale
Manager
Bom and raised in the Albina Community, serving your Automobile needs for the
last five years at Bob Lamphere Beaverton Chrysler Plymouth
"Let me assist you in driving a New or Used Car, SUV or Truck"
SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE
Call Tim At 503-849-7856
save money without spending more.
By being friends in your oil needs,
you can save tremendous amounts
o f money.
Reese’s Oil Company is deter
mined to be o f service to the commu
nity. We still want to be viewed as the
‘friend o f the family’. We want the
customer to feel that their needs mat
ter. We are all feeling the bite o f the
economy with the oil prices increas
ing dramatically, and we are spend
ing all waking hours (and some sleep
ing hours) trying to find a way to pass
on savings to our customers. Since
we are a small company, we have
lower overhead and can therefore
offer lower prices. We strive daily to
ensure that our prices are the lowest
at any time. So if you find oil cheaper
elsewhere, give us a call and we will
meet or beat the prices o f our com
petitors. We also provide 24 hour
service, 7 days a week. Reese’s Oil
Company also offers full service and
repair on oil furnaces. So give us a call
todayat 503-287-2121.
Watch for the specials that will be
o ffe re d throughout the com ing
months. To those o f you who Reese ’ s
Oil Company has served in the past
and to any new customers, please
watch for coupons that will be adver
tised in the upcoming weeks. Let us
know you saw it in The Portland
Observer. Enjoy your holidays and
let us help you keep warm.
Powell’s Union Wins
United Way Support
Responding to a call for assis
tance from Pow ell’s Books union
members, United W ay o f the Colum
bia-Willamette donated file cabinets,
bulletin boards, a calculator and other
miscellaneous office supplies this
month to help equip the w orkers’
emerging chapter.
In te rn a tio n a l L o n g sh o re and
W arehouse Union (ILW U) Local 5
currently represents more than 420
workers at Pow ell’s Books which is
the largest independent new and
used bookstore in the country. After
two years oforganizing, workers and
management ratified their first con
tract on Aug. 14.
Union Steward Ryan Takas said
he appreciated the support shown by
the United Way.
“Creating a union for Powell’s
workers has been a long time coming,
and now that we have a contract there
is still a lot o f work to do to meet our
goals,” Takas said. “United W ay’s
donation will help us get there a little
bit easier.”
Glenn Shuck, executive directorof
the United W ay-funded L abor’s
Community Service Agency, said he’s
glad to see a local union get a good
running start.
Neighbors Talk Open Meeting Law
A workshop for Portland neigh
borhood activists on O regon’s Pub
lic Records and Open Meetings Law
will be held on Thursday, Dec. 7.
Participants will learn how to navi
gate these laws to insure their neigh
borhood and community groups can
e ff e c tiv e ly a d v o c a te fo r th e ir
community’s interests while meeting
the spirit o f the law. The workshop
will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
the King Center located at 4815 N.E.
7th at Wygant. The event is co-spon
sored by the City ofPortland Office o f
N eighborhood Involvem ent and
Northeast Coalition o f Neighbor
hoods.
The workshop will address such
frequently asked questions as: Wha,
is a proper meeting notice?
I