u/johnwingfield

Puget Sound Energy wants us to believe that massive rate increases are simply the unavoidable cost of keeping the lights on.

Meanwhile, PSE’s parent company reported approximately $692 million in net income last year.

Let that sink in.

Washington families are being asked to pay more every month for electricity and natural gas while one of the state’s largest utilities is generating hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. PSE brought in roughly $4.9 billion in annual revenue and nearly $700 million in profit, yet customers are constantly told that higher bills are necessary.

At what point do we stop calling these “rate adjustments” and start calling them what they are: wealth transfers from working families to investors and executives?
Utility service isn’t a luxury. It’s not a discretionary purchase. People need electricity to heat their homes, refrigerate food, charge medical devices, and live their daily lives. Customers can’t simply shop around for a competitor when rates go up.

The part that bothers me most is that every rate increase hits low-income households the hardest. A wealthy executive might not notice an extra $50 or $100 per month. For many Washington families, that’s groceries, prescriptions, gas money, or a car payment.

If PSE can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in profit each year, why are customers expected to shoulder an ever-growing burden? Why isn’t there more scrutiny of executive compensation, shareholder returns, and corporate spending before ratepayers are asked to pay more?

Washington residents deserve affordable utility service, transparency, and accountability. Instead, we’re being told to accept higher bills while corporate profits continue to climb.

How much profit is enough?

Location: Washington State

I’m dealing with a dispute over a vehicle service contract / extended warranty for my Volvo XC60.

I purchased a “Level 2” vehicle service contract through the dealer when I bought the vehicle. The warranty cost me about $6,200, so it was not a cheap add-on. I recently had an issue with the vehicle’s electronic parking brake. The car displayed a warning that the parking brake was not fully released, the red parking brake light was flashing, and one of the rear wheels was getting significantly hotter than the other. The vehicle eventually had to be looked at for what appears to be a failure related to the electronic parking brake actuator / rear brake caliper assembly. The cost of the repair is roughly $3,000.

The warranty company is denying coverage. Their position seems to be that the electronic parking brake actuator is not specifically listed as a covered component under my Level 2 contract.

The issue I’m having is that the Level 2 contract does list brake calipers as a covered brake component. On this vehicle, the electronic parking brake actuator/motor is attached to the rear brake caliper and operates the parking brake mechanism in the caliper. My understanding is that this is not some unrelated accessory. It is part of the rear brake caliper/parking brake function.

I asked the warranty company where the contract explicitly excludes a “brake actuator,” “parking brake actuator,” or “electronic parking brake motor,” and I have not been able to get a clear answer. From what I can tell, the contract does not specifically list those parts as exclusions. Instead, they seem to be denying it because the exact subcomponent name is not listed as covered.

My argument is that they are isolating one subcomponent name in order to deny coverage, even though the covered component is the rear brake caliper assembly. The contract also does not list every internal or attached part of other covered brake components, such as caliper pistons, seals, ABS solenoids, master cylinder pistons, valves, etc. It just lists the larger covered component or assembly.

I spent over 40 minutes on the phone with the warranty company and got nowhere. I also spoke with someone in their claims department again, and when I explained that I was disputing the denial and looking into consumer protection/legal options, the representative ended the call/hung up. I have requested a written denial with the exact contract language they are relying on.

I have already filed a complaint with the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner. I’m also planning to file with the Washington Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

My questions are:

1. Does this sound like a valid consumer protection / bad faith / unfair claims handling issue, or is this just how named-component warranties work?
2. If the contract covers “calipers,” is there a reasonable legal argument that an electronic parking brake actuator attached to and operating the rear caliper should be treated as part of the covered caliper assembly?
3. What should I request in writing from the warranty company besides the written denial, claim notes, and exact contract citation?
4. Would it be worth pursuing this in small claims court?
5. Should I also file a complaint against the selling dealer if the warranty was represented as meaningful coverage for expensive mechanical/electrical failures?

I’m not trying to get a free repair outside the contract. I’m trying to understand whether the company can deny a brake/caliper-related failure simply because one integrated subcomponent is not separately named, even though the larger component appears to be listed as covered. I purchased this very expensive extended warranty for this exact reason, and I feel like I'm being taken advantage of.

Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated.

Location: Washington State

I’m dealing with a dispute over a vehicle service contract / extended warranty for my Volvo XC60.

I purchased a “Level 2” vehicle service contract through the dealer when I bought the vehicle. The warranty cost me about $6,200, so it was not a cheap add-on. I recently had an issue with the vehicle’s electronic parking brake. The car displayed a warning that the parking brake was not fully released, the red parking brake light was flashing, and one of the rear wheels was getting significantly hotter than the other. The vehicle eventually had to be looked at for what appears to be a failure related to the electronic parking brake actuator / rear brake caliper assembly. The cost of the repair is roughly $3,000.

The warranty company is denying coverage. Their position seems to be that the electronic parking brake actuator is not specifically listed as a covered component under my Level 2 contract.

The issue I’m having is that the Level 2 contract does list brake calipers as a covered brake component. On this vehicle, the electronic parking brake actuator/motor is attached to the rear brake caliper and operates the parking brake mechanism in the caliper. My understanding is that this is not some unrelated accessory. It is part of the rear brake caliper/parking brake function.

I asked the warranty company where the contract explicitly excludes a “brake actuator,” “parking brake actuator,” or “electronic parking brake motor,” and I have not been able to get a clear answer. From what I can tell, the contract does not specifically list those parts as exclusions. Instead, they seem to be denying it because the exact subcomponent name is not listed as covered.

My argument is that they are isolating one subcomponent name in order to deny coverage, even though the covered component is the rear brake caliper assembly. The contract also does not list every internal or attached part of other covered brake components, such as caliper pistons, seals, ABS solenoids, master cylinder pistons, valves, etc. It just lists the larger covered component or assembly.

I spent over 40 minutes on the phone with the warranty company and got nowhere. I also spoke with someone in their claims department again, and when I explained that I was disputing the denial and looking into consumer protection/legal options, the representative ended the call/hung up. I have requested a written denial with the exact contract language they are relying on.

I have already filed a complaint with the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner. I’m also planning to file with the Washington Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

My questions are:

1. Does this sound like a valid consumer protection / bad faith / unfair claims handling issue, or is this just how named-component warranties work?
2. If the contract covers “calipers,” is there a reasonable legal argument that an electronic parking brake actuator attached to and operating the rear caliper should be treated as part of the covered caliper assembly?
3. What should I request in writing from the warranty company besides the written denial, claim notes, and exact contract citation?
4. Would it be worth pursuing this in small claims court?
5. Should I also file a complaint against the selling dealer if the warranty was represented as meaningful coverage for expensive mechanical/electrical failures?

I’m not trying to get a free repair outside the contract. I’m trying to understand whether the company can deny a brake/caliper-related failure simply because one integrated subcomponent is not separately named, even though the larger component appears to be listed as covered. I purchased this very expensive extended warranty for this exact reason, and I feel like I'm being taken advantage of.

Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated.

It is absurd that gas prices are approaching record highs, yet rates for delivery routes remain unchanged. I’m done delivering for now, it’s just not worth it anymore.

It would be cool if we could get a flea market going every weekend at maritime heritage park. Or the big vacant lot next to trackside. Could still do the Wonderz markets on commercial street as they’ve been doing, but why not expand it and do it more often?

They’re so fun and great for downtown business, local makers, etc

Anyone know what’s going on? Six police vehicles parked on the corner of Lakeway and Yew. Also a few fire trucks and ambulances. Didn’t see any actual officers or EMS personnel, and traffic wasn’t blocked off.

Hey Bellingham 👋

We run a small rescue dog lounge downtown called Are You My Human?, and since today’s one of the allowed promo days, we wanted to introduce ourselves (or re-introduce, if you’ve already visited).

The idea is pretty simple: it’s a calm, home-like space where rescue dogs can hang out, decompress, and meet people while they’re waiting for adoption. You can come in, spend time with the dogs, and just… exist with them for a bit. No pressure to adopt—just a chance to connect.

Most of the dogs we work with come from higher-risk situations, and this space helps them build confidence, get comfortable around people, and ultimately find the right home.

Also worth mentioning—we’re under new ownership as of last year. We’ve put a lot of effort into improving the space, tightening up our health and safety standards, and making the overall experience better for both the dogs and the people who visit.

If you’re looking for something low-key to do, need a serotonin boost, or just want to meet some really good dogs, you’re always welcome to come by. We do scheduled sessions, but we also have walk-ins when space allows.

And if you’ve already visited, seriously, thank you. It means a lot more than you probably realize.

Happy to answer any questions here too 🐶