Dear Editor:
The May 12 News Tribune carried an AP story (page B5) that is a prime example of why we can't, or at least shouldn't, trust the mainstream media as a source of unbiased coverage. The story describes how a big, bad Duke Energy, is persecuting the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, N.C. Duke has demanded that the facility pay $3,224 per month toward a required $18,244 credit deposit. Seem "unfair," as Paul Harvey used to say, "And now the rest of the story."
The $18,244 deposit being required by Duke is equal to about two months of the museum's electricity bills. The museum has an eight-year history of late bill payments and has had three deferred payment plans. Between October 2012 and January 2017 Duke sent the facility 23 disconnect notices before finally turning the power off for a short time in February 2017. The facility owed Duke $14,000 at that time. After the electricity was shut off the museum "found" the money to pay the overdue $14,000.
During the past two years the museum was behind on its power bills every month and had failed to send a payment in six of the months. The museum has owed Duke as much as $40,000. The facility's CEO, John Swain, said that the museum has received about $11,500 in charitable donations from Duke Energy.
To keep it afloat, the Greensboro City Council "loaned" the museum $1.5 million in 2013. In my opinion the "loan" was a veiled attempt to force Greensboro taxpayers to subsidize the museum. The "loan" balance was to be reduced by $1 for every $1 of donations received by the museum. A dispute over the loan balance was resolved when the city agreed to extend repayment terms.
Mr. Swain has repeatedly stated that he does not think the museum is being treated fairly. I guess he thinks he should be able to pay his electric bill at his convenience. Perhaps he could get politicians to pass a law requiring that all Duke customers pay extra for unwanted service so that the museum could get free or subsidized electricity, like Obamacare does for insurance.
My information came from a May 10 article in the Charlotte Observer, written by John Murawski. www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article149813569.html
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