The Texas Railroad Commission has once again reminded Texans exactly who it prioritizes, and it is not everyday households.
On Thursday, the Texas Railroad Commission approved a natural gas rate increase for Texas Gas Service customers in El Paso, despite clear opposition from local leaders and residents. While the commission reduced the originally proposed 27 percent hike after negotiations, the decision still allows noticeable increases that will hit families already stretched thin by inflation, rising utility costs, and an uncertain economy.
A “Reduced” Increase That Still Hurts Households
Under the approved plan, small residential customers in El Paso may see their gas bills increase by about 10 percent, roughly $3 to $4 more per month. Larger residential customers could face increases closer to 19 percent, or around $11 more per month depending on usage.
Texas Gas Service claims the increase is necessary to cover service costs and maintain reliability. That explanation has done little to reassure residents who are already juggling higher grocery bills, rent increases, and medical expenses.
Calling this increase “reduced” does not make it reasonable. For many families, even a few extra dollars a month can mean cutting back somewhere else.
El Paso Leaders Push Back
El Paso city leaders have not been quiet about their opposition.
The El Paso City Council unanimously rejected the proposed Texas Gas price hike back in November, sending a clear message that the increase was unacceptable for residents. Despite that rejection, the Texas Railroad Commission moved forward anyway.
Mayor Renard Johnson publicly opposed the commission’s decision, issuing a statement expressing disappointment and frustration with the outcome. His opposition reflects what many El Pasoans are feeling: that this decision ignores the real financial pressures facing working families right now.
City officials say they are currently reviewing the ruling and considering next steps.
Residents Sound the Alarm
During public discussions, as reported by KFOX14, residents made it clear that this was not a minor inconvenience.
Mary Woodruff-Herman warned that higher utility bills could force residents to make painful choices, including cutting back on medications or travel. Angel Ulloa criticized Texas Gas Service’s justification for the increase, saying the explanation felt “extremely incomplete.”
These are not abstract complaints. They are real consequences tied directly to a regulatory decision made far from the people who will feel its impact the most.
A Tone-Deaf Decision in a Piling-On Moment
What makes the Texas Railroad Commission’s decision especially frustrating is the timing.
Just last month, El Paso Water approved its own rate hike, meaning residents will see an average $10 increase in their monthly water bills. That increase represents a 12 percent jump over last year.
Gas up. Water up. Groceries up. Rent up.
Approving another utility increase in this moment feels deeply disconnected from reality. For many households, the margin for “manageable” increases no longer exists.
The Texas Railroad Commission may frame this as routine regulation, but for El Pasoans, it feels like yet another example of decisions being made without regard for how people are actually living.
When residents and local leaders are saying clearly and repeatedly that they cannot absorb more costs, ignoring them is not neutral. It is a choice.
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