Billing error, not rising energy prices, behind viral Trump campaign moment

A viral moment from former President Donald Trump’s recent campaign stop at a Bronx barbershop captured the store’s owner, Javier Rodriguez, expressing concerns about sharply rising energy costs, saying his annual utility bill rose from $2,100 to $15,000 over the last four years. However, it has now been reported by The New York Times that the increase in power bills was not due to rising energy prices since Trump left office, but rather a billing error.

This all began when Rodriguez shared allegations of a more than 600% spike in his shop’s energy costs during Trump’s visit to his business. Rodriguez’s story quickly spread online, raising questions about whether such a large increase in the barber’s power bill was actually possible. A Straight Arrow News analysis of the math behind the supposed energy cost hike found that the figures did not align with current state electric rates.

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However, the substantial increase in Rodriguez’s power bill is now believed to be the result of a recurring billing error linked to a malfunctioning smart meter. At times, the meter had been charging Rodriguez’s barbershop 14 times the actual amount of electricity it used.

Con Edison, the utility company responsible for managing power across New York City, has acknowledged the error. The company stated that it had been working to resolve the problem since August, and reached out directly to Rodriguez to correct the mistake. The company also claims that no payments have been or will be collected from Rodriguez until the issue is fully resolved.

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During Trump’s town hall style event at his barbershop, Rodriguez mentioned that he was in the process of disputing the charges with Con Edison. The barber posted this exchange with the former president on his Instagram, although that portion of their conversation was omitted from Fox News’ coverage of Trump’s visit. The network expressed it is happy to see that the segment helped bring the billing issue to light.

Rodriguez admitted he was initially overwhelmed by the media attention, but now sees it as a positive development, as he says the public spotlight prompted Con Edison to address the situation more urgently.