AG Madigan, consumer groups voice opposition to automatic rate hikes
for utilities
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[May 19, 2011]
CHICAGO -- On Wednesday, Attorney
General Lisa Madigan and a coalition of consumer advocates voiced
their opposition to a legislative proposal that would impose
automatic annual rate hikes on millions of consumers' utility bills.
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As currently introduced by state Rep. Kevin McCarthy,
House Bill 14 would eliminate the long-standing utility rate
review process through the ICC and allow utility companies to impose
automatic rate increases for 10 years.The Illinois attorney
general, AARP, the Citizens Utility Board, and many consumer and
environmental advocates -- including Citizen Action, the Sargent
Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, the Latino Organization of
the Southwest, South Austin Coalition, and the Environmental Law and
Policy Center -- came together at the Austin Senior Center on
Chicago's West Side to announce their opposition to the measure and
to encourage local residents to contact their legislators to vote
"no" on the utility bill.
"ComEd is trying to ram a bill through the Legislature that will
guarantee increased profits by increasing rates paid by consumers,"
the attorney general said.
"We don't want consumers to be fooled into thinking that House
Bill 14 is about smart grids," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois senior
state director. "House Bill 14 is about higher rates and bolstered
corporate profit margins. It is a wolf in sheep's clothing."
"As it stands right now, the ComEd proposal would increase gas
and electric rates for consumers by untold amounts for the purpose
of guaranteeing utility company profits of over 10 percent," said
Barry Matchett, co-legislative director of the Environmental Law and
Policy Center. "That is not fair."
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The legislation would significantly weaken the long-standing,
balanced regulatory system, leaving millions of residential and
business consumers with a limited voice in the approval process. The
bill allows for future rate increase requests to go through a "fast
track" review process as opposed to the current review process,
which allows for a more thorough investigation.
[Text from file received from the office
Illinois Attorney General Lisa
Madigan]
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