Pantagraph.com | News | Blagojevich may bend on electric-rate freeze

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

more like this wrote on Jun 28, 2007 7:51 PM:

" Fed up says that there are other companies just waiting to cash in. That is partially true. If the present rates are left in place, there are several companies that have said they will come in and compete for the residential market as they will be able to buy power in bulk at a lower cost and therefore sell it to the consumer for less. This was the idea behind deregulation, but all the initial rate freeze and extension of that freeze in '04 did was create artificially low rates that kept competition away because they could not match or beat the already low rates. If the rates are rolled back and frozen, it will be like putting a band-aid on an artery. It will look good for a little bit but it will be a major problem in the long run. The politicians created this mess back in 1997 and now they just aren't smart enough to fix it. "

ignorance abounds... wrote on Jun 27, 2007 9:41 AM:

" fed up states, "There are other companies just waiting to cash in" Really? Where? *looking around* As Abe states, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." "

priceless wrote on Jun 27, 2007 9:06 AM:

" my rule of thumb: anyone who mentions enron or executive salaries while legitimizing a rate freeze is clueless. I also loved the AT&T was more efficient comment. priceless. com ed is a monopoly yes, but it wasn't deregulated. the power markets were. com ed can buy power from anyone, but no one will sell them power at previous prices because they were to low given fuel price increases. ‘to fed up’ had the right idea, if regulators really want to burn EXC & AEE, they should subsidize new entry. it's all supply & demand people. "

What? wrote on Jun 26, 2007 5:18 PM:

" Tell Blago to stop taking the plain to and from work!!! That $$ could go toward helping. "

Seriously wrote on Jun 26, 2007 3:55 PM:

" Who is John Galt? And why is Curious George posting here? Most of all why hasn't anybody blamed a minority group or Bush for this problem? Who are you people and what have you done iwth the Bloomington/Normal community?????? I'm scared! "

Reregulation wrote on Jun 26, 2007 3:26 PM:

" Actually the process under discussion is a form of regulation. In order to avoid government interference, the electric companies are agreeing to provide subsidies for lower income households. The Legislature will have to establish or assign resources to assure compliance. Oh yeah! My phone bill was a lot higher before deregulation. Remember long distance charges to Towanda? If you owned a business, the cost in the 70s was more then three times the cost of service today. "

to Back when wrote on Jun 26, 2007 3:12 PM:

" Of course not. Phone bills have climbed alone with executive salaries. Yay free market! "

to Jimmy Carter Tried wrote on Jun 26, 2007 3:11 PM:

" How are you supposed to have competition in electrical services? Do you want 50 companies stringing wires? How about water? Do you want have Bob's water shack, Bloomington town water, and Farmer's runoff water co. each running their own pipes to your house? You get the picture. Utilities are a natural monopoly and as such must be regulated. This is one instance where a free market doesn't work because the consumer can't pick an alternative good and competition is essentially impossible. "

to John Galt wrote on Jun 26, 2007 3:08 PM:

" Free market fiction where selfishness rules and doesn't create a society of have-everythings and have-nothings, yeah, I've read Ayn Rand. "

Rolling Eyes wrote on Jun 26, 2007 2:49 PM:

" Back When: You are correct. The real solution here is re-regulation. Electric utilities are a natural monopoly. Real competition is never going to happen. If we do another rate rollback, infrastructure will continue to crumble. "

Back when wrote on Jun 26, 2007 1:55 PM:

" Utilities were regulated there was better service and more employees and they still turned a good profit. Now the infrastructure is falling apart but the employees,stockholders and management are getting pocket fulls while we all get skinned! Remember how many employees GTE had back in the 70's in B/N? Is your phone bill any cheaper now after years of deregulation? I doubt it. "

Rolling Eyes wrote on Jun 26, 2007 12:57 PM:

" Who is John Galt? ;) "

Jimmy Carter Tried. wrote on Jun 26, 2007 12:44 PM:

" Price freeze does not work. Remember long gas lines? Remember the black markets? Our legislators should be looking for ways to bring competition in to this area. A Rate freeze is like wetting the bed. It only feels good for a little while, Then you gotta deal with the consequences. "

John Galt wrote on Jun 26, 2007 11:18 AM:

" Everyone who is saying that the rates need rolled back all need to read 'Atlas Shrugged'. That is all I will say. "

Ernie wrote on Jun 26, 2007 10:24 AM:

" Unless there is a rate rollback the "average customer" won't see any change in their bill. If the legislature lets the electric companies off the hook with their "giveback to the needy" promise then us average shmoes won't get a dime back nor will our bills go down. Ameren and ComEd will brag about how wonderful they are and poor people will get a small refund but once again, the middle class will take the hit and be told to shut up and go away. And of course the politicians will congratulate themselves on another job well done. "

to To Fed Up wrote on Jun 26, 2007 9:41 AM:

" The sheer amount of CEO compensation at Ameren suggests that they are at not risk of bankruptcy. "

Welfare wrote on Jun 26, 2007 9:24 AM:

" Get use to it folks...this government/Ameren policy will only benifit thos that refuse to help themselves. "

Downstater wrote on Jun 26, 2007 9:02 AM:

" About time he got off his duff & tried to do something for Illinois working class people. He talks out of both sides of his mouth, so I don't expect any relief anytime soon. He's probably on their payroll, too. "

To Fed Up wrote on Jun 26, 2007 8:29 AM:

" No other company is going to come into the state of Illinois to provide electricity if there is a rate freeze. There would be no incentive. They will be facing the same things Ameren is right now. So, if Ameren goes bankrupt and no other company is stupid enough to put itself in the same position, who will provide the electricity? "

Good call wrote on Jun 26, 2007 7:57 AM:

" Rep. Eddy is right! IS is high time for the Senate (and all involved) to put up or shut up....anything less then a roll back, freeze and REASONABLE rate structures are not acceptable to the people who pay the bills. Sounds to me like like all the Dems are getting into the COM-ED/AMEREN money pot. Where is Bradley, Flider, Holbrook and Forby now? Those big talkers from February seem to want to settle now for something else (after the back room deals). The pay increases are so disgusting that they do not even deserve comments. "

Rolling Eyes wrote on Jun 26, 2007 7:49 AM:

" How come the press is completely ignoring the stack of subpoenas on Blago's desk that he refuses to make public? Where is the reporting on this? The media can make mountains out of molehills, and yet it completely ignores the importat stuff like this. "

Curious George wrote on Jun 26, 2007 7:12 AM:

" Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the high tension wire. "

sad state we're in wrote on Jun 26, 2007 6:57 AM:

" When our politicians bend over backwards to help ILLEGALS and not take care of it's citizens. "

shocker wrote on Jun 26, 2007 6:23 AM:

" what a shocker everythings going up a whole heck of alot faster then my pay, welfare is starting to sound like the way to go instead of working 3 jobs to try and pay all the bills "

Anon wrote on Jun 26, 2007 5:26 AM:

" Let them go threaten to go bankrupt. It's just a ploy and wouldn't stand up in court. They make so much money and the rate auction such a sham, that I would think it obvious it's just a money grab and the politicians want to be sure they get their cut. "

Jon wrote on Jun 26, 2007 1:58 AM:

" I will not be happy until Com Ed is giving me power for free, if Springfield cared that would have happened a LONG time ago! And then sign that rate freeze to a 250 year extension!!! "

jerry from lex wrote on Jun 26, 2007 12:45 AM:

" Emil J. has to go! What is it, that are legislature does'nt understand. Emil has his hand in com. ed's pocket. It's obvious as the nose on your face. Force the vote again, it will pass again.Why consult with the utilitys, their profits rose exactly the same as the rate increases. What input would you get from them that would have any value? "

realevergreen wrote on Jun 25, 2007 11:51 PM:

" We need a power company that generates power, not excuses. No need for another Enron here. We already have the burden of a governor who can't find Springfield without using a plane. "

why not wrote on Jun 25, 2007 11:30 PM:

" he manges to bend on everything else regardless of where it is good for use or not "

fed up wrote on Jun 25, 2007 11:02 PM:

" It has been six months since Ameren increased our rates and Illinois's finest still don't know what to do about it. How disgusting they are. They even gave themselves a raise to work for us and they work against us. Whats the big secret about last weeks meeting with Madigan. Jones, Ameren and ComEd? What are these back room deals about? The people have a right to know and we should be making the decisions on what is acceptable. Lower the rates and freeze them. Who cares if Ameren goes bankrupt? There are other companies just waiting to cash in. "

Consumer wrote on Jun 25, 2007 10:22 PM:

" Start by having the utility CEO's give back their fat bonuses they received right after the freeze ended. "

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