Nick Fehrenbach, the manager of regulatory affairs and utility franchising for the city, told the council’s Budget, Finance & Audit Committee that between increases requested at the state and local level, there have been close to 15 rate hikes in just the last 12 years alone. Atmos insists its needs the money to pay for capital improvements, but as The Dallas Morning News pointed out in 2013, those rate hikes often go toward the bottom line instead.

Keep reading at Dallas Morning News.