Tarentum gives overdue electric bills a break
Tarentum residents who are experiencing financial difficulties will get a slight reprieve from the borough this month.
Council voted to temporarily suspend electric shutoffs for November because of the ongoing federal government shutdown and state budget impasse.
Both government bodies have signaled the stalemates could end as soon as this week, but Tarentum officials posted online that they “understand many households are facing real hardship as paychecks and assistance programs are disrupted.”
Tarentum operates its own electric system.
The move is meant to help people during an unprecedented period in government, they said. People who receive shutoff notices can toss them with the understanding that the bill will remain due.
Residents are encouraged to pay what they can during this time.
Regular operations will resume in December. Extending the shutoff suspension beyond November would create financial uncertainty, officials said.
Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.
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