Long Island Power Authority charged money to honor fallen soldier?

New York Utility Charged for Hanging Flags From Its Poles at Memorial for Slain Soldier
By MARK REEVES
May 26, 2011

The folks on Shelter Island, N.Y., were furious after they held a memorial parade to honor Lt. Joseph Theinert, a town resident who was killed in Afghanistan. The service included having members of Theinert's old unit march along a flag draped street that was named after Theinert.

Then they got the bill. The Long Island Power Authority charged them for hanging the American flags from its utility poles.

The resulting outcry has prompted a change of heart from the embarassed power company and LIPA CEO Michael Hervey is offering to personally pay for the flags. The tab only comes to $23.75 to put flags on 19 LIPA poles, but it wasn't the cost that left some folks sizzling like a summer barbecue.

"It was outrageous," County Legislator Ed Romaine told ABC News. "How do you charge for putting up American flags? LIPA didn't even put up the flags. The American Legion did. To do something patriotic and get charged for it was ridiculous."
read more here
New York Utility Charged for Hanging Flags