And Atmos till take this 'fee' and pass on zero percent to the customers, unicorns will nest in the tress outside Natinsky's office, and lollipops will grow wild outside city hall. Yeah, sure!

What is the latest on margolin's opposition to p.i.l.o.t. on water dept? Is that gas tax earmarked for "economic development" like p.i.l.o.t. Would be? Why can't we use the p.i.l.o.t. money for libraries, police, parks etc. I'm concerned leppy might take the p.i.l.o.t. money to make those "appropriated grant payments" in the cchotel economic development agreement.

Utilities are going to go up all around. Time to conserve even more. Keep the lights turned off and adjust your thermostats and sprinklers accordingly.

This is a tax increase, plain and simple. However, it's interesting to notice who the burden of this tax will fall on. It will hit only owner-occupied homes and renters (aside from the small % of renters whose utilities are paid by the landlord). It's a way of increasing city revenue without hitting real estate investors (they're hurting right now anyways, but there's no reason the city needs to cut them a break more than any other group).

Chad, what is so awful is that Natural Gas is at all time lows. Ironically, despite deregulation our utility prices don't reflect these falling prices. So much for the illusion of competition.

JF, even those whose landlords pay their utilities will be pinched with higher prices. It will hit everyone the same. The poor will enjoy the same increase as those in Preston Hollow. All because they are too cowardly to raise property taxes.

If the mayor had proposed a tax increase, the council would have approved it. They are like sheeps led to slaughter. We will have to pay for the Atmos increase. At least with a tax increase, I can write it off on my income tax. Next year, we will have the tax increase and the increase in water and the Atmos increase. If your children are on a little league team that uses city facility, their cost will increase to play on team. This council did not do us a favor, they have cost us more money.

Atmos Energy purchases natural gas year 'round from many suppliers. The gas must be delivered to Atmos Energy for re-delivery to you on even the coldest day. Waiting until winter to buy gas on the "spot" market is very risky. Suppliers may have committed their natural gas to other buyers or middlemen by the time winter arrives. Thus, Regulators encourage Atmos Energy to fill storage and "lock-in" prices in warmer months to assure supply and take advantage of (usually) lower prices.

Whether your bill is $30 or $300, Atmos Energy charges about the same amount each month for delivering your natural gas. Residential customers pay, on average, between 15 percent and 20 percent of their winter gas bills for distribution service. Most customers also are charged from 5 percent to 10 percent for state or local taxes and franchise fees assessed by their city or county.