Have your utility bills become a financial burden?

The summer heat is here, bringing increased use of electricity and water.
It’s a good time to ask readers this Question of the Week:
Have your utility bills become a financial burden?
By almost any measure, utility users pay more in Southern California than other places.
According to federal data, the average price for electricity in Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange counties in May (18.6 cents per kilowatt hour) was 35.8 percent higher than the national average; and the price for natural