* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Conaway
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Request to the Governor - Special Session on BGE Rate Increases
FOR the purpose of urging the Governor to convene a special session of the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation to address the 48% increase that BGE is scheduled to impose on electric power customers in the State of Maryland beginning July 1, 2007.
Body
Recitals
In 1999, legislation was introduced to de-regulate Maryland's electric utility market. The plan capped electricity prices for Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customers at 1993 levels until July 1, 2006. As a result, rates were held at an artificially low level despite increases in global energy prices. These below-market prices prevented suppliers from entering the Maryland electricity market to sell electricity at competitive rates.
In 2006, the rates of electricity were set to jump 72%, an increase that would have made many Baltimore City citizens unable to afford their BGE bills. Instead of this increase, the legislature agreed to ease in the new rates. They created a program in which they capped the increase at 15% in 2006, and the remaining 48% increase would not occur for another year. Now that time has arrived, and BGE customers are dreading a 48% increase in their electric bills on July 1, 2007.
This increase is simply unacceptable. The fact is that an increase of t...
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