KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.

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Households in Missouri and Kansas could see a 15% increase in utility costs as tax credits for renewable energy are eliminated.

As summer temperatures rise and air conditioners run constantly, utility bills are already a concern for many households.

Federal policy shifts could drive up utility costs for Missouri, Kansas families

According to an analysis from Energy Innovation, a nonpartisan group, your electric bill is expected to increase because of changes made in President Trump’s “big beautiful bill.” Those changes include eliminating tax credits on renewable energy.

“We’ve already heard from a lot of utility companies around the country that they will have to raise prices, and the basic reason is because the United States is going to produce less energy than it was expected to,” said Michael Linden, senior policy fellow at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

Rebates for solar panels and electric vehicle credits will phase out, too.

Linden, who previously worked in the Biden administration and the U.S. Senate, says the move will create supply and demand issues.

“The average household in Missouri and Kansas will likely see a 15% increase in their utility bills,” Linden said.

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Karen Noel, CEO of Catholic Charities Kansas City, says her organization receives requests for utility bill assistance every day. In a week, these requests can amount to more than $10,000.

“Fifteen percent is not surprising,” Noel said. “The problem is it’s not just those in crisis that have been in crisis, it’s our working-class poor that are really pressured.”

Requests always spike during the heat of the summer, per Noel.

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She recommends avoiding peak usage times to keep costs down.

“We just coach people: do your loads of laundry in the morning, do your heavy loads of power in the morning,” Noel said.

Despite the group’s efforts, Catholic Charities can currently only cover about 7% of requested monthly utility bills.

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“These are asks, not what we’ve been able to fulfill,” Noel said. “It’s not surprising we are seeing inflationary pressures. It starts at the low end and keeps building across the entire economy.”

KSHB 41 wanted to take a moment to explain which part of your bill could increase because of these changes.

If energy prices rise and your bill increases, that does not mean Evergy or another utility is raising rates. Instead, it means the cost of electricity you consume is increasing.
 
Your utility rate is the cost of Evergy or another utility to deliver you the electricity.

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If a utility wanted to raise those rates, it would have to get approval from various state commissions, in addition to public comment and hearings.

“We are currently reviewing the bill and still looking to understand its full impact,” said Evergy spokeswoman Courtney Lewis.

Separately, Evergy Kansas Central is undergoing a rate review unrelated to federal policies. Under the settlement, base rates would increase 9.6%, and residential customers would see a bill increase of about 6.97%, or $9 per month.

Evergy

Small to medium general service customers would see a 5.4% to 5.9% bill increase.

This would go into effect in late September if approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Motorists across Kansas City, Missouri, might want to prepare to slow down.

Next week, the KCMO City Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee is set to review plans to install more than 120 speed humps by the end of the year.

A list of the proposed speed humps shows installations spread out across the six city council districts.

LINK | See the list

Funding for the program would come from a mix of funds from the city’s Vision Zero program and the Public Improvements Advisory Committee.

KSHB 41 News reporter Elyse Schoenig reported last year that the city hoped to install 100 speed humps in 50 locations in 2024.

You can watch her 2024 report in the video player below.

Kansas Citians on board with potential for speed bumps to be installed in neighborhoods

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AROUND THE OZARKS (KY3) – A new report shows people in Missouri and Arkansas aren’t the best at maintaining credit.

The WalletHub report found that, out of all 50 states, Arkansas ranked last when it comes to how well people handle loans.

According to the report, Arkansas is the least diligent state when it comes to credit management. Nearly half of its users have had an account go to collections. Missouri didn’t do much better.

“This is a byproduct of the last four to five years of record inflation,” said Chip Lupo, with WalletHub.

Lupo is a WalletHub analyst and helped track payment habits and credit usage in each state.

Missouri ranks 37th, and Arkansas 50th, when it comes to how well we manage credit.

“People have become more dependent on their credit cards to fund everyday expenses, with the cost of everything going up,” said Lupo.

That gets dangerous if you’re not paying your bills on time and in full. The report found that about a quarter of Missourians have recently missed a payment.

“There does need to be more of an emphasis on financial literacy. A lot of your lenders hold free community workshops about the basics, but it does need to be integrated into the school curriculum and start at home, also,” said Lupo. “It starts there also. A lot of times, when children become adults, they repeat the spending patterns of the financial patterns of their parents.”

The report didn’t just focus on how well people borrow money, but also on how often people check their credit reports.

It’s a good habit to check your credit report at least once a year. Errors can impact your credit score.

Remember – lenders, potential employers, and even utility companies will review your credit report.

By the way, the top three states when it comes to managing credit are Massachusetts, Iowa, and Vermont, according to WalletHub.

You can check your credit report right now for free at Annualcreditreport.com.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.

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