Ohio - Electric rates set to deregulate...

[liberal N proud]

Don't Let Your Electric Rates Double!

Tell John Husted and the Ohio House of Reps Leadership: "I support Governor Strickland's plan to protect Ohioans from unregulated electricity prices".

De-reg 101:

Under deregulation that passed in 1999, the electricity market is scheduled to go completely unregulated at the end of 2008.

But the competitive market envisioned years ago never developed, so power companies will operate as unregulated monopolies.

What does this mean for you?

If electricity re-regulation is not passed in the Ohio Legislature, your utility bills will likely soar.

What's the solution?

Months ago, Governor Strickland introduced Senate Bill 221, legislation that calls for re-regulation. It would protect Ohio consumers and businesses from soaring electricity prices while improving our environment and creating jobs.

The bill passed in the Ohio Senate 32-0, but the House has been slow to move on it.

How can you get involved and help?

1) Watch Governor Strickland's video http://www.progressohio.org/page/m/663ee0219bb416db/d0OdnZ/VEsF/

2) Sign our petition to the Ohio Legislature telling them to support Governor Strickland's plan to protect Ohio consumers and businesses from unregulated electricity prices.
http://www.progressohio.org/page/m/663ee0219bb416db/d0OdnZ/VEsC/

Governor Strickland is protecting us from high electricity prices.

Tell your legislators to do the same.
http://www.progressohio.org/page/m/663ee0219bb416db/d0OdnZ/VEsD/



Brian Rothenberg
Executive Director
ProgressOhio.org

[liberalnurse]

1. I believe Gov. Strickland has strongly considered the

appointment of Fred Strahorn, a great Ohioan to preside over this department too. I have yet to read the links, so it may of been in the article.

I did get the above emails too.

Here is Fred's announcement. This is all connected I believe in the Governors plan of strategy.


http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/state/2008/02/10/ddn021108capcor.html

State Rep. Fred Strahorn, D-Dayton, is one of four candidates being considered by Gov. Ted Strickland for an appointment to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

If Strahorn is appointed, he'll be the second commissioner with Dayton ties. Former Dayton city manager Valerie Lemmie was appointed to the PUCO by Gov. Bob Taft.

The PUCO regulates electric, telephone and natural gas companies in Ohio and oversees hazardous-materials carriers and railroad crossings. A seat on the commission pays between $97,760 and $119,995 per year plus benefits, and commissioners have the power to review some business mergers, open the books of multimillion-dollar companies, and make rules that affect every Ohioan.

State law requires a politically balanced PUCO. No more than three of the five commissioners can be from any one political party. The PUCO currently has two Republicans, two independents and one Democrat.

[samplegirl]

2. What the hell else could they do to Ohioans?

I guess people will have to pick between their mortgage loan or the utitilies.
This really pisses me off. Everyday it is something else to worry about for most Ohioans. This week I have been fighting to increase my taxes in order to keep our Fire & Rescue squad.
This second term of Bush really did us in. Things did not even stay the same............they got worse much worse!!! The Republican Corruption has ruined our state. Was just reading yesterday that Bob Ney after serving only 10 months was moved to a halfway house. With any luck he will be out again just in time for elections.

[liberal N proud]

3. Shameless Monday morning kick

[geiger]

4. I am sorry I have not followed this issue better, and,

wow, it's great to see Rothenberg in a positive mode. Hurrah.


The biggest problem I see with de-regulation is that there is no incentive for the Utilities to keep adequate power and back-up on hand, due to profit motivation.

I haven't read the Governor's proposal, but any sort of accountability, seems to me, would be a good step back in the right direction.

[Kolesar]

5. This is well conceived -- renewable energy lament

I do lament that the lobbyists got the renewable energy provisions crippled. There were supposed to be annual benchmarks. The First Energy &utility lobbyists removed that and now there is no deadline for 18 years. That means the utilities have 18 years to lobby to have the requirement removed.

[Riley133]

6. Thank you for posting this. nt

[Jack 4 Ohio]

7. Same here nt