Power Politics
As homeowners absorbed the news that their electric bills could go up as much as 72 percent (38.5 percent for Pepco's customers and 72 for BG&E's), the candidates for governor were quick to weigh in.
Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan, a Democratic contender for governor, called on Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich, to take a stand. "Where has the governor been on this?"
Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, another Democratic candidate for governor, also took aim at Ehrlich.
"Where Governor Ehrlich has failed, we must act to establish a 'shock-absorber' to protect Maryland's hardworking families, who are already being hit hard by the soaring costs of home heating bills, increased property taxes, fees and tolls," he said in a statement
Ehrlich's aides dismissed the comments as political posturing and were quick to point out that the governor has already asked the utility commissioners, whom he appoints, to "do everything possible to minimize the burden on customers," said spokesman Henry Fawell. "That said, he remains very concerned about the impact this will have on customers."
That includes a plan that would spread the increase over more than one year--but include interest payments for those who choose that option.
By Phyllis Jordan |
March 9, 2006; 2:10 PM ET
| Category:
Governor
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Posted by: Anonymous | March 9, 2006 3:05 PM
Finally! Anyone know who came out first on this issue Duncun or O'Malley? Glad its being addressed. Our lower income families and elderly are sure to be forced out of homes with the property tax increases and now these exorbitant utility costs. Governor Ehrlich was asleep on this issue, glad the Dems are awake.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2006 9:54 AM
The increase has not yet happened, as Ehrlich's people said quit posturing :)
In other news, deregulation doesnt increase price of energy. Enron's accounting manipulations did not reduce power output or prices. It secretly bankrupted a large corporation. Enron's capital assets are still in use.
Energy prices are increasing due to explosive growth in the region, ie increase in demand... How many new plants have you seen in the past decade or so? No new supply. Thats a freemarket managed by government regulation. Thats why your prices are so high...
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2006 11:39 PM
Mike Busch, Mike Miller, where art thou?
They dealt us a bad hand and now they won't accept responsibility--pathetic.
Posted by: Bryan | March 12, 2006 11:46 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
"An aide says the governor, who is up for re-election this fall, doesn't know what to do and has no course of action planned." Or so said a news report on WTOP.
Look, we knew this kind of thing was going to happen when they deregulated the utilities. The utilities are effectively simple middle-men now, caught between having to keep prices low for the consumers they've always provided for while at the same time trying to negotiate electricity prices from companies that now own the power plants that were once theirs.
It was the brokers who owned and operated power plants in the West (companies with names like Enron) that bankrupted local utilities by shutting down plants, and using various schemes to force prices higher and higher in 2001. While those kinds of absuses may be a thing of the past, the idea that everything - including essentials such as utilities - should be open to the free market forces of private ownership is ultimately an enormous negative for citizens and businesses alike.