AE seeks to refund some Williamson County residents

Austin Energy officials told City Council members Monday that the utility would do everything in its power to refund approximately 6,000 Williamson County residents who were improperly subjected to a tax that AE collects on behalf of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The utility estimates that roughly $300,000 was inappropriately collected from a 1 percent tax that is levied on the electric portion of customers’ utility bills. Council Member Don Zimmerman told AE General Manager Jackie Sargent that he was pleased to hear the utility was being proactive on the issue, recalling his own experience bringing a successful suit over taxation against the city of Austin on behalf of the Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District, of which he was president. He noted, however, that tracking down everybody eligible for a refund would be difficult, since some have since moved.