"Huge increase cited in Redding residents who can't pay power bills"
The number of Redding homes and apartments tagged for being without power has skyrocketed over the past year, with about 20 households forced to leave until their bills are paid and electricity is restored.
Redding's electric and water utilities asked code enforcement officers to monitor 936 households after shutting off service to customers who stopped paying their bills during fiscal 2008, according to the year-end report released by the Development Services Department.
The city shut off utilities to 524 homes for nonpayment in fiscal 2007, documents show. Some 531 households faced utility shutoff in 2006. The fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30.
"One thing is very different this year than last, and that's the economy," said Building Official Bill Nagel.
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/jan/04/huge-increase-cited-in-redding-residents-who-pay/