Utilities offering payment plans to customers behind on bills
FROM WAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS . HELP
CLARIFY RETURNING TO THE
CLASSROOM .
>>> GOVERNOR ROY COOPER CALL
FOR MORE FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS . ANOTHER
DEADLINE IS QUICKLY
APPROACHING.
WE ARE LIVE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH
WITH SOME OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE
WHO REALLY NEED HELP.
>> $2.5 MILLION IS WHAT IS OWED
TO THE CITY OF RALEIGH . THIS
PROBLEM OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO
PAY THE UTILITY BILLS EXTENDS
FAR BEYOND THE CITY LIMITS.
>> Reporter: IN THE AGE OF
CORONAVIRUS WERE EVERYTHING IS
IN FLUX, THERE IS ONE CONSTANT,
BILLS .
>> TO RESEND THE EXTRA FEW
DOLLARS TO THE WATER COMPANY OR
BY FOOD FOR THE TABLE THAT
NIGHT ?
>> THAT IS THE QUESTION A
FATHER OF TWO FINDS HIMSELF
ASKING ALMOST DAILY .
>> I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS . I
AM SURE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE
IN THIS POSITION .
>> MORE THAN 1.45 MILLION
UTILITY ACCOUNTS IN NORTH
CAROLINA HAVE GONE UNPAID
DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER
PROHIBITING COLLECTION AND
SHUTTING OFF UTILITIES AND'S IN
A LITTLE OVER A WEEK .
>> EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CUT BACK
ON, THERE IS NO TRIMMING THE
FAT LEFT .
>> PRIVATE UTILITY COMPANIES
SEEM TO BE AWARE OF THAT .
>> DUKE ENERGY TELLS US THAT
EVEN AFTER THE ORDER EXPIRES
USERS WILL HAVE A MONTH TO
FIGURE OUT A PAYMENT PLAN . THE
CITY OF RALEIGH WATER AND SEWER
WILL NOT START COLLECTING ON
PAST-DUE BILLS OR EXECUTING
SHUT US UNTIL AT LEAST 45 DAYS
AFTER THE EXPLORATION . THAT
WOULD BE AROUND MID-SEPTEMBER .
>> WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE OUT THERE STRUGGLING
WITH UNEMPLOYMENT AND SO IT IS
A BALANCING ACT FOR US .
>> WITH THE PANDEMIC STILL IN
FULL SWING, ALSTON IS ASKING
FOR MORE . AN EXTENSION TO THE
MORATORIUM .
>> WE NEED TO WORK OUT
SOMETHING WHERE THE GOVERNOR
NEEDS TO EXTEND THE THINGS A
LITTLE BIT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
STILL STRUGGLING . THE STRUGGLE
ISRAEL .
>> Reporter: YOU ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO PAY THESE BILLS . THE
CITY SAYS THEY CAN SIMPLY WAVE
IT . THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
WORK WITH PEOPLE, EVEN GIVING
THEM 6 TO 12 MONTH PAYMENT
PLANS . THEY ARE ALSO OFFERING
A NUMBER OF WAYS TO GET
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND HELP
COVERING THE BILLS . WE HAVE
DETAILS ON THAT ON OUR WEBSITE
AND ON OUR APP .