Friday, January 25, 2013

Why weren't the taxpayers of Naperville given a choice?

Ms. Stahl is to the left and Ms. Bendis to the right. 

Ms. Stahl was arrested for non-violently attempting to obstruct a utility worker from installing a wireless meter while the existing meter was working flawlessly. 

Ms. Bendis was arrested for videotaping the meter workers.

This is crazy. Mothers are being arrested because they have legitimate complaints about a utility meter? This is nuts. 

Sounds like home invasion to me.

These complaints are legitimate in that their financial security of their homes and households could become known through the wireless meters installed on their homes. The City of Naperville is imposing a utility right of way that carries over into the Right of Privacy of the homeowners. It is invasion of privacy. The imposition of the device is abuse of power. It doesn't get more obvious than this.

The meters will reduce employment costs and cause unemployment by the utility, too. Just because technology 'seems' right and best doesn't mean it is appropriate in defense of citizen's right.

This reminds me of an #Occupy issue. These 'wavelength' complaints may carry brevity as well. Certain wavelengths are known to cause cancers. So, if people don't want this near or in their homes, they have a right to privacy and their own sanity.

It looks like a State Legislative issue. The lower courts would rule in the property rights "Right of Way" of the utility, while the higher courts would seek to empower the homeowner's right of privacy, better defining their right of ownership. But, the best and quickest method to resolve this is the State Legislature upholding the right of homeowners to their right of privacy in their own homes. If legislators can't see their path clear to defend the homeowner while still allowing the MAINTENANCE rights of the Utility Right of Way, then they need to elect a better legislature.

Posted on  by Amy
Jennifer Stahl (click here) has been a strong advocate against the smart meter program in Naperville, Ill., for the last two years. The issue came to a head Wednesday afternoon when she was arrested while refusing to let the utility workers install the controversial device....

The Illinois Commerce Commission is where the utility authority is housed. The Illinois Commerce Commission has to bring restrictions on Homeowner Privacy up to speed. Depending on the autonomy of the Commission in regard to making regulations to protect privacy of homeowners they may be able to make changes without the legislature. My guess that is not the case, however, the Commission should have a 'Shareholder' group to empower the consumers.



At first glace, the wireless meter does not look well researched in protecting the information obtained by the meters or the health risks involved with it. In that lies the understanding these meters are outside the realm of appropriate for use. While this meter is specifically designed to eliminate payrolls from the utility there is no direct benefit to the consumer and if one works as a Meter Reader for the utility there is absolutely no direct benefit. But, that sincerely is not the issue. 

These meters need to be researched to prevent abuse of the information it gathers. If a utility wants to know where the peak hours exist, that information is not new. The mechanical meters were reliable and the demand on the utility was well known without problems. The issue here is then why are the new meters an advantage to the utility if residents feel threatened by them. The real truth is the health risks of wireless capacity is still in flux. So, the compliant these meters are a health risk is not simply dismissed. There are sincere problems with the wireless meters and the people need to be respected in their concerns, a shareholder group would bring these complaints to the authority of the commission and the commission could bring that to the state legislature where it is not otherwise addressed.

The concerns of these lovely ladies need to be taken seriously and handled appropriately until everything is known, accepted as fact and under control. They aren't asking that much. They want a safe and secure home for themselves and their families. That is not outrageous. Not at all.

If I these ladies, I would be looking to sell the house and move away from this abuse of power by the utility. I am sure they will pay for the new meters in the future through rate hikes if they don't already. The replacement of the meters was completely unnecessary. It is abuse of the citizen.