20060615 KDDC Ehrlich announces Public Hearing on GA Electric Rate Leg

Governor Ehrlich announces Public Hearing on General Assembly Electric Rate Legislation

Thursday June 15 2006 3:50 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Governor’s Office

Thursday, June 15, 2006 Henry P. Fawell

(410) 974.2316

Governor Ehrlich Announces Plan to Hold Public Hearing on General Assembly’s Electric Rate Legislation

ANNAPOLIS – Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today announced he would hold a public hearing on the Maryland General Assembly’s attempt to mitigate rising electricity costs for Baltimore Gas & Electric customers. The Governor will schedule the hearing for early next week.

“Lawmakers had two obligations in the special session: adequately protect BGE customers and toughen penalties on sex offenders who prey on our children,” said Governor Ehrlich. “We agreed on a comprehensive sex offender initiative, but lawmakers fell short of their obligations to BGE customers. I have grave reservations about a plan that forces one million Marylanders to pay $109 million in interest while giving back to BGE $220 million that I had secured for customers. I look forward to a thoughtful, dignified and informative discussion next week with the citizens effected most by the General Assembly’s actions.”

Governor Ehrlich will release a schedule and further details later this week.

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For some additional perspective read:

Consumers resent interest charge
By Tricia Bishop

Sun reporter

Originally published June 15, 2006

"Consumer anger that forced alternatives to the proposed 72 percent increase in electricity bills was rivaled by perhaps only one other sentiment: not wanting to shell out extra money in the form of interest payments to Baltimore Gas and Electric."

Read the rest here.

And read the Baltimore Sun's angle on developing events:

Assembly passes rate bill
Veto-proof votes in House, Senate enact limit on BGE increases, fire PSC; Ehrlich plans to hold public hearing on plan next week

By Andrew A. Green and Jennifer Skalka

Sun reporters

Originally published June 15, 2006, 3:40 PM EDT

Read the article here.

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