* 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 Young
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Investigative Hearing - Publicly Owned Municipal Electric Utility
FOR the purpose of requesting the Director of Public Works and the Director of Finance to explore the feasibility of Baltimore City developing a publicly owned municipal electric utility to provide service to the citizens of Baltimore at a reasonable rate, to protect hard-working residents from the exorbitant electric rates that are expected to be inflicted on residential users as a result of deregulation of the utility industry and to report the results of the study to the City Council within 90 days.
Body
Recitals
In 1999, when Maryland State officials approved deregulation of electric utilities, it was expected that the cost of the utility would decrease because the cost of energy would remain stable, and increased market competition for the consumer's energy dollar would result in companies vying to offer the best deal.
What in theory sounded good, in actuality has turned into a nightmare. The anticipated merger of the parent company of BGE, the local supplier of electricity to over 1,000,000 residents and businesses and gas to more than 600,000 customers in the Baltimore region, along with deregulation, raising energy prices, and pollution control requirements, is expected to result in an average 72% rate increase in Baltimoreans' utility bills.
Baltimore consumers can expect to be hit with the full impact of ...
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