Cost of doing business in New York

Bill Baker · « **on:** 24 Dec 2005, 03:22 pm »

Living in the most expensive state in the nation in regard to utilities cost, I just received my first Gas and Electric bill in the new facility. Keep in mind that we are not even in the coldest winter months yet. As I open the utility bill, with one eye close, I start to see far too many numbers. Without disclosing the exact amount, I will simply state that there are 4 digits before the decimal point.

I always expected to pay more for electric but with gas prices going through the roof, my heating bill, forced hot air, alone was $850 and this is with keeping the thermostat at only 62 degrees (which gives me 70 degrees in my work areas).

Anybody else have out of sight utility bills like this? Do you think President Bush frequents Audio Circle and can do somethng about this?

January is just around the corner, let's see what that brings

maxwalrath · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 03:34 pm »

I think Hugo Chavez and Pataki are the only people that can do anything about it this year, but I don't know if you meet the low income requirements.

There are some very attractive tax credits for installing solar panels in 2006, I think you get a 30% tax credit (not a deduction) if the cells produce over a certain amount of juice. Other than that, maybe all the tax braks for us middle class folks will help you this year...

Bill Baker · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 03:53 pm »

Quote

I think Hugo Chavez and Pataki are the only people that can do anything about it this year, but I don't know if you meet the low income requirements.

I don't know about that? There are only two classes of people in the US anymore, th erich and the poor and I am farfrom the rich status.

Quote

There are some very attractive tax credits for installing solar panels in 2006, I think you get a 30% tax credit (not a deduction) if the cells produce over a certain amount of juice. Other than that, maybe all the tax braks for us middle class folks will help you this year...

Believe me, I am still in the class where I am still supporting the rich. I am considering looking in alternative heating options both for my home and work.

The funny thing is that my parent, who live a mile away, are in a special part of town where they have "Village Electric". When my electric bills (at my home) are around $200-$300 month, thiers are $17. They can get away with running electric heat and bring thier bills up to maybe $45 a month in the winter where if I ran an electric heater, my bill would be closer to $600 a month.

Businesses in this are get no breaks at all. In fact, we pay more. I have a feeling this is part of what happened to Meadowlark Audio. I could not imagine what thier utility bills were in the winter months or even summer months with all the macinery Pat had to run on a daily basis.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 03:58 pm »

Lets face it Bill....NY is an expensive place to do business....and live. Is it any wonder why people and businesses move south or west....

rosconey · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:04 pm »

im getting sick of every thing new york,govt is a total joke,utilities are way too high and going up,add in health care and tax's on everything going up-

only thing going down in new york is the paycheck people try to live on-

my bill has a part for what i used and how much they charged to deliver is another part,cost more to deliver it than what i used last month-how in the hell does that happen

ScottMayo · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:07 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio

Anybody else have out of sight utility bills like this? Do you think President Bush frequents Audio Circle and can do somethng about this?.

I'm in Mass, and I feel your pain.

One benefit to the audio room I constructed - I put in triple thick walls and an abundance of fiberglass insulation, and it's mosty underground. All this was for soundproofing, and it cost way more than I like to think about, but as a result it's very heat efficient. I heat the whole room with a short run of baseboard, the lighting and the amps. The baseboard rarely kicks in, even in December. I can't begin to recommend enough, that people renovating for an audio room in the northern US design in soundproofing - not just for the acoustics, but for the long term financial payback in energy costs.

maxwalrath · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:09 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio

In fact, we pay more. I have a feeling this is part of what happened to Meadowlark Audio. I could not imagine what thier utility bills were in the winter months or even summer months with all the macinery Pat had to run on a daily basis.
l ...

I hear that. I went to school in Oswego, so I've been through the Binghamton area 50 times, and hung out there a handful of times as well. Watertown is a whole other climate...it seems like it was always 5 degrees colder than anywhere else, with an extra 2 feet of snow per year.

maxwalrath · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:13 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio

Quote:
I think Hugo Chavez and Pataki are the only people that can do anything about it this year, but I don't know if you meet the low income requirements.

I don't know about that? ...

I didn't mean to imply that the hi-end business was making millionaires left and right these days...

I actually don't know what the income cut-off is for the oil discount program, but if Venezuela and Ed Rendell (PA's governor) sign something, I would sure be happy if I qualified.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:16 pm »

Quote

my bill has a part for what i used and how much they charged to deliver is another part,cost more to deliver it than what i used last month-how in the hell does that happen

In my old building which was very small, the only thing that would use gas in the summer was the hot water heater. I figured I could turn it off (I don't need hot water there) and not have to worry about a gas bill.

My average gas bill during summer months, with no gas being used at all, was $47!! amount of gas used - NONE!

I guess as long as I choose to live here, complaining will do no good.

Bill Baker · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:46 pm »

By the way, I live in a small'er' 1800 sq. ft. home and my winter bills run between $500-$700 a month. That's almost double my mortgage.

At my store, I have 1400 sq, foot main floor plus the same for a full basement. With a $600 rent, I am sure I will double this with my next NYSEG (New York State Electric & Gas) bill.

Maybe spring will start early this year, Hopefully next week!!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 04:51 pm »

Bill,

Chris[/list:u]

Bill Baker · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 05:21 pm »

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Your not far from the PA border line....do you know if it would it be less costly to do business in PA ?

I can actually be in PA within 25 minutes. The problem is I truly enjoy having my work within a half mile from my home. It allows me to go have lunch with my little ones which go to school only a quarter mile from my shop and home or simply run home if something comes up.

zybar · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Dec 2005, 05:46 pm »

Quote from: Response Audio

By the way, I live in a small'er' 1800 sq. ft. home and my winter bills run between $500-$700 a month. That's almost double my mortgage.

At my store, I have 1400 sq, foot main floor plus the same for a full basement. With a $600 rent, I am sure I will double this with my next NYSEG (New York State Electric & Gas) bill.

Maybe spring will start early this year, Hopefully next week!!

Bill,

I also have NYSEG, but my bills aren't anywhere near yours. My monthly electric is around $100/month for a roughly 2500 sq ft home.

I do feel your pain, and that is one of the reasons I don't mind moving up to MA. I am buying a house there that I couldn't possibly afford if I stayed where I currently am in NY (60 miles north of NYC).

Maybe a 30 minute commute to work is a better choice than very high utilitiy bills...

Best of luck.

George

Aether Audio · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 Dec 2005, 02:51 am »

Bill,

As most know, we're in Indiana. It may not be as bad as NY, but it's still bad. For starters, in my facility my electric bill is a minimum of $300.00/month. Then, I'm trying to keep the temp around 60 degrees, especially when we're painting. We're running on bottled propane. Do you have any idea what it costs to heat 13,000 sq.ft.?

You don't want to know. I recommend long underwear.

-Bob

jswallac · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 Dec 2005, 03:43 am »

Can't quite say I feel your pain. I live in Southern Cal. It was 86 yesterday. A cold front moved in this evening, however, and next week looks to be in the mid 60s. Time to break out the heavy sweaters. I may even need to turn on the heater for a few minutes in the morning when I get up! Of course the weather is heavily factored into what we pay for real estate out hear in the land of million dollar "cheap" tract houses. Given the size of our mortgages I could not imagine adding a NY State utility bill to the mix.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Dec 2005, 05:35 am »

Bill,

Go get (or read in reference section at Library) 'Places Rated Almanac'.

I bought my first copy back in 1994 (and have bought two subsequent versions) and left NY (LI) for good 4 months later. It's not worth paying 3x the national average in property taxes, much higher payroll taxes than all but a few states AND among the highest utility bills in the nation. You rarely ever make financial traction in New York with all that against you.

Of course, I'm built financial-centric so it tends to outweigh some other virtues inherent in NY.

The Keystone state is a beauty, ya' know

JoshK · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Dec 2005, 05:43 am »

tube equipment doesn't help matters any. I estimated that I saved a bit over $60/mo from switching from my Cary V12 to the Spectron Musician II, at the time.