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2 • RIVERROCK T • Thursday, February 26, 2026 PERSPECTIVES

EDITORIAL What’s easier to explain – Tesla's AC dynamo-

NYC snow shoveling uncovers electric machine or your electric bill?
contradiction in value of safeguards What in Tesla’s name are SBC, Electricity Supply Reconcilia-
RDM, ESRM and CDG? tion Mechanism (ESRM): Recon-
In the theater of modern politics, few performances are as brazen as the Yes, you can read National ciles National Grid's electricity
one now playing at New York City Hall. Zohran Mamdani, the newly Grid’s explanations, well not all of supply service revenues to the cost
installed mayor of New York City, has made clear where he stands on voter them. The explanation of ODS, Oth- of Company purchased electricity,
identification laws: firmly opposed. er Delivery Surcharges is: “The including Clean Energy Standard
As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he aligns with ODS contains specific monthly de- costs. Costs above revenues are re-
a movement that has repeatedly denounced voter ID requirements as This Old Man livery surcharges assessed to cus- covered from customers Revenues
discriminatory and exclusionary. Yet when it comes to shoveling snow, the by Jack Mroz tomers. A complete list of these above costs are credited to custom-
mayor suddenly discovers the virtues of rigorous documentation. here’s a lot of hullabaloo surcharges is available at: ers.
According to the city’s own sanitation guidelines, any New Yorker these days about electric https://wmr.nationaigridus.corn/Up Am I right on this one?
hoping to earn $19.14 an hour as an emergency snow shoveler must Tbills. Many people say the state-NY-Business/ Rates/Rate- It seems like National Grid has
present two small photographs, two original forms of identification with cost of electricity is too high. I Statements.” everything covered. They even ex-
copies, and a Social Security card. In other words, five separate pieces of agree, I think. But, I’m not sure. Here are some of my favorites in plain Meter Multiplier. “Due to
documentation – just to pick up a shovel. Why? Because I read my National the alphabet soup that they do “ex- their design, some meters record a
The contradiction is glaring. The DSA insists that asking citizens to Grid bill. plain.” fraction of the total usage. The mul-
show identification at the ballot box constitutes a “racist poll tax.” But I can understand the cost of sup- ROM – Revenue Decoupling tiplier is used to convert the record-
asking working-class New Yorkers to assemble a stack of paperwork ply and the cost of delivery but to Mechanism: Reconciles actual ed meter reading on these types of
thicker than a passport application to clear sidewalks? Apparently that’s figure out the rest of the charges I billed delivery service revenues to meters to total actual consumption.”
just sound governance. It’s hard not to notice the double standard: identifi- need a translator. annual target revenues. Delivery And just how do they know what the
cation is oppressive when it safeguards elections, but essential when it For example, under Delivery service revenues above target are actual consumption is?
safeguards payroll. Services there is a charge for “Basic refunded to customers. Target reve- For the sake of sanity, I did take
A recent Rasmussen Reports poll finds that 77% of likely U.S. voters Service (not including usage)” fol- nues above actual delivery service a look at an electric bill from Ontar-
say they believe requiring photo identification to vote is a reasonable lowed by Delivery, SBC, Legacy revenues are collected from custom- io, Canada. Here’s what I saw –
measure to protect election integrity. This marks an increase from 74% in Transition Chrg, RDM, Trans- ers. Let me get out my Radio Shack Electricity (off peak, mid peak, on
2021. Only 17% say they disagree. Support for voter ID laws runs the mission Rev Adj, Other Sur- calculator to figure that out. peak); Delivery Charges, Regulato-
gamut – 86% of Republicans, 69% of Democrats, and 75% of unaffiliated charges, Tariff Surcharge, and TRA – Transmission Revenue ry Charges, Tax and Ontario Elec-
voters; 80% of white voters, 69% of Hispanic and 61 % of Black voters. Sales Tax. Adjustment: Reconciles wholesale tricity Rebate. Huh? Just four items?
This follows a Gallup poll in October that found that 84 percent of Then, under Supply Services transmission service revenue to the The only thing I would question
American adults support voter ID measures. there is Electricity Supply, Mer- forecasted transmission service rev- is Regulatory Charges which they
Mayor Mamdani’s defenders argue that federal law requires work chant Function, ESRM, Tariff enue embedded in electric delivery define as: “Regulatory Charges are
authorization verification before payment can be issued. That’s true. Em- Surcharge, and, of course, Sales rates. Transmission service reve- the costs of administering the
ployers must confirm eligibility. But this legal obligation only underscores Tax. nues above those forecasted are wholesale electricity system, main-
the broader point: identification requirements are not inherently sinister If that doesn’t get your static credited to customers. Forecast rev- taining the reliability of the provin-
tools of suppression. They are, in many contexts, basic administrative electricity up, there are Other enues above actual revenues are col- cial grid and the costs associated
safeguards. The city cannot legally “hand out checks” without documenta- Charges/Adjustments – CDG lected from customers. Does that with funding Ministry of Energy
tion – so why is it portrayed as unreasonable to require documentation to Credit - Applied to this Bill, CDG mean they thought they were getting and infrastructure conservation and
hand out ballots? Subscription Fee and Paperless more money but didn’t get it, so renewable energy programs.” I
When paperwork is required to shovel a sidewalk but condemned to Bill Credit. we’re paying for that? think I understand that.
protect a ballot, citizens are right to question whether the debate is about And, there has to be a contradic- So, I do find my electric bill
fairness – or simply about power. It’s deep in New York City, real deep, LETTER TO THE EDITOR tion between the SBC and the ES- shocking. I haven’t a clue if I’m
and we’re not talking about snow. RM. paying a fair rate. And, yes, it is
System Benefits Charge (SBC): more shocking than the time de-
Snow Is Not a Dog
Workshop to boost These charges reflect costs associat- cades ago when I thought the penny
Waste Disposal System ed with mandated public policy pro- would fit into those little slots in the
child literacy skills set Dear editor: grams, such as the Clean Energy electrical outlet.
Fund.
Getting a dog is exciting. We
picture waterfront walks, park out-
Read to Succeed is hosting a for their child to keep and read again
ings, and that loyal face waiting at Quinn Minute –
workshop that is free for families and again. the door. What we don’t always
thanks to support from the Buffalo According to Zero to Three, on-
picture is the responsibility: proper Wild animals as pets
Public Schools Family & Commu- ly 37% of parents read to their ba- feeding, veterinary care, vaccina-
nity Engagement Department. This bies every day. But reading aloud to by Rix Quinn back yards. Also, walking an ele-
tions, licensing – and yes, picking
90-minute workshop will teach children from birth is an excellent up what they leave behind. any towns now prohibit citi- phant is awkward, and cleaning up
caregivers of children 3 to 8 years of opportunity to increase vocabulary Mzens from housing jungle after it might require that pet owner
Every spring in Buffalo, as the
age read aloud strategies that en- and is a key factor in healthy brain snow melts and we emerge from animals. to pull a wagon, too.
hance vocabulary and comprehen- development and a building block What, exactly, is a “wild pet?” I How about chickens? One com-
winter hibernation, something else
sion skills while growing for cognition, executive functions, appears. once had a very friendly dog who munity outlawed them, even
background knowledge in their and social intelligence.,” stated could imitate other animals, like a though few are aggressive, and
The “doggy land mines.”
young children. Read to Succeed executive director For months, snow acts like a cat and a rooster. Does that quali- most are toothless.
The workshop will be offered Anne Ryan. “Every caregiver has fy? They were banned not for ag-
temporary storage unit for poor de-
twice: once on Wednesday, March the opportunity to improve their cisions. Then the thaw comes, and For instance, some communi- gression, but for crowing. No city
4, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. and again child’s foundational literacy skills ties term boa constrictors “wild.” In person wants to hear anybody
our sidewalks and vacant lots tell
April 22 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Each outside of the classroom simply by the truth. others, they’re considered “non- mouth-off at dawn, especially a
workshop will take place at South reading and talking with them from poisonous reptiles with a lethal birdbrain. (Maybe that’s why they
I’ve owned many dogs over the
Park High School Family Center, birth.” years. During the harshest winter hug.” That’s reminds me of my forced my friend Dave out of town,
150 Southside Pkwy., Buffalo. Child care will be provided. great aunt, who visited us on holi- too.)
days, especially with a fenced yard,
This workshop is designated for To enroll in the workshop, I didn’t always rush outside in sub- days. Bottom line: If you want to
parents, grandparents, and other please visit https://www.readto Coyotes, wolves and hyenas are view carnivorous animals, visit the
zero windchill to retrieve every pile
caretakers with children aged 3-8 succeedbuffalo.org/content/Docum immediately. But when the weather also wild, even though they dis- zoo. If you want to hear a loud ani-
years old. In addition to learning ents/spring26flyer.pdf. guise themselves as loveable, giant- mal, invite my friend Dave to a
breaks, I clean it up. That’s part of
read-aloud skills attendees will take For more information, contact responsible ownership. Winter de- fanged dogs. My neighbor Charlie dinner party.
home a new, age-appropriate book Anne Ryan at 716-843-8895 or once owned a wolf, and it ate four Rix thinks 300 words are the
lay is one thing. Permanent neglect
ryana@rtsb.org. parakeets and two of Charlie’s toes ideal story length. He’ll tell you
is another.
What I don’t understand are before he wised up and sold it to why in this inexpensive report. For
the sister he never liked. more details, go to this link:
piles left in the middle of public
sidewalks or abandoned in empty Extremely large animals, like https://payhip.com/b/dGTFf
elephants or rhinos, don’t fit well in
lots. Snow is not a magical eraser. A
vacant lot is not a dog bathroom
pass.
There is nothing more frustrat-
ing than doing your part – bag in
pocket – only to step in someone Published by Buffalo Standard Printing Corp.
else’s mess. It’s disrespectful to Roger Puchalski - Editor
neighbors and unfair to the commu- Roxie Harbison - Sales & Marketing
nity we all share. Printed in Buffalo by Buffalo Newspress
Buffalo deserves clean side- E-MAIL riverrock@email.com
walks. If we can survive a blizzard, (716) 835-9455 • FAX (716) 835-9457
we can manage one small bag.
The views of columnists and letter writers do not necessarily
Do better. Pick it up.
716- Evelyn Wackett reflect the views of the RiverRock Times. Letters to the editor are
Black Rock welcome at riverrock@ email.com or by mail: RiverRock Times,
c/o 979 Grant St., Buffalo, NY 14207. They should be concise.