Reading the tea leaves *** Updated x1 ***
Thursday, Mar 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
So, where exactly is Senate President Emil Jones on reimposing the electric utility rate freeze? And what does he intend to do about Ameren’s skyrocketing rates?
* Bloomington Pantagraph…
The top Democrat in the Illinois Senate again doused hopes Wednesday that the General Assembly might somehow roll back huge electric rate increases. […]
“I know one thing for certain: If you freeze your rates for a year you’re still going to have that cliff to fall off a year from now. You’ve got to quit playing games with this particular issue,” said Jones. […]
“I don’t pay too much attention to the House. They play to the cheers of the crowd rather than doing the responsible thing. We intend to do the responsible thing over here,” he told reporters.
* St. Louis Post-Dispatch…
But there have been indications that [Senate President Jones] is softening that stance in the face of public outrage over the power bills. Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said Wednesday that Jones remains “personally opposed” to freezing utility rates, but added: “He certainly realizes that, especially in Ameren territory, there is a very serious problem downstate.”
The question becomes, if he’s “personally opposed,” will that mean he won’t block an attempt to roll back Ameren’s rates?
Then again, even if he does accede to that demand, House Speaker Madigan will likely amend the bill to include ComEd and lob it right back across the Statehouse hall.
Meanwhile…
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn is getting behind legislation that would enable voters to oust members of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the state’s utility regulator. Under House Bill 1916, commission members would have to stand for retention or recall on the ballot at the first general election after they were appointed and confirmed.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** Jim Muir’s Southern Illinoisan column today is written as a letter to Emil Jones…
During the past four weeks I know of three small businesses that have closed specifically because of the electric rate increase. While that might not mean much to folks who live in a large metropolitan area, in a rural area like Southern Illinois the loss of any business is devastating and the trickle-down effect is even more devastating. The latest closure is a daycare center where the electric bill went from $800 in January to $2,300 in February. […]
Even to a small town newspaper hack like me it’s not a great leap to perceive that maybe, just maybe, those hundreds of thousands of dollars are the reason for your stubborn and wrongheaded refusal to call this legislation for a vote in the Senate. As we’re often told, perception is everything and from what I hear coming from other corners of the state the belief that you’re in cahoots with the electric companies is gaining momentum these days. But you have a chance to prove that perception wrong along with a rare opportunity that many people never get - the opportunity to correct a wrong and make it right.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 9:25 am:
I think it is wrong to put all the blame on Jones. The Dem’s in the senate made him the president with all the imperial powers that entails and knowing full well he is a broker for the power oligarchy.
- He Makes Ryan look like a saint - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 9:46 am:
Until some sort of campaign reform is enacted (which won’t happen) legal bribes in the form of campaign contributions will influence what is voted on and what is not. Jones should be ashamed of himself, he is not doing what is good for the state.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 10:31 am:
Hurrah for the courage and insight shown by Jim Muir in his story . It and similar stories should run in every newspaper, TV and radio outlet and blogs in all areas served by Ameren until something is done by the IL legislature. Jones or for that matter any one person should have the power to cause so much harm to so many people just to ensure campaign contributions. Perhaps someone should tip “60 Minutes†about this story which so vividly depicts the way IL politics is conducted. Emil Jones “should be ashamed of himself.â€
- Leroy - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 10:41 am:
Is now the time for such overused platitudes like “Americans need to learn to consume less power”?
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 11:00 am:
With the increases, are Amaren’s rates higher than ComEd’s in real money terms? I know their increase is higher, but I think ComEd’s customers were already paying more.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 11:33 am:
“Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn is getting behind legislation that would enable voters to oust members of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the state’s utility regulator. Under House Bill 1916, commission members would have to stand for retention or recall on the ballot at the first general election after they were appointed and confirmed.”
I have a better idea that Pat can do now:
Pick up your phone and call that running mate of yours and start demanding that he do his job. Remove the idiots he selected that will not listen to him, and replace them with idiots that will. Governor Blagojevich has sent threat letters to them already. Now, he needs to take action - you know - DO SOMETHING!!!
It is Blagojevich’s ICC. It is his baby. His people. His agency. HE IS RESPONSIBLE.
- A Citizen - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 11:51 am:
It is time to admit that deregulation is an abject failure - in the telecom industry, cable providers, energy, etc. When you really have only one provider available to your home you have no “choice”, you have a monopoly without real competition. When this condition exists, govt. has an obligation to step in and regulate the providers on a cost plus reasonable profit basis. The devil then is in the cost details which must be carefully scrutinized and controlled. 300% and 400% increases in the bills is gross greed paralled only by the petroleum industry. Payoffs to Emil and his ilk in the thinly veiled form of campaign contributions is totally unacceptable. My guess is that if Fitzgerald took a good look at this debacle he would have plenty to indict and convict both politicians and so called business people. If the legislators and Governor refuse to act then Fitz should find out why!
- A Citizen - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 12:05 pm:
Oops, looks like the strong arm of control of investigations is being flexed. Is Fitz the next to go? The following is from todays Sun Times:
BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter
Patrick Collins, a star prosecutor whose efforts led to the convictions of former Gov. George Ryan and Mayor Daley’s former patronage chief, Robert Sorich, is leaving the U.S. attorney’s office here.
Collins plans to join a Chicago law firm. An announcement is planned for later today.
Collins had a key role in leading Operation Safe Road, an investigation that took dozens of unqualified truckers off the highways and exposed widespread corruption in state driver’s licensing facilities.
- Lied to - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 12:58 pm:
Ameren gave those of us with Electric heat special rates to UP the usage in the winter, after they lost the revenue when air conditioners were turned off. They went as far as making special offers on heat pumps and such. (Also at one time natural Gas was not available for new starts.) We were never told that there was a remote chance that we would lose these rates. This is where the 200 & 300% increases come in. We will have to go to great expense to change our system because we have baseboard with no duct work. Its that..or try to sell and move. Be sure, they did not give us those rates because they liked us, they had a profitable reason.
- Squideshi - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 1:21 pm:
How exactly are we going to break the cycle of legalized bribery that is campaign finance here in Illinois? I argue that the only way that we’re going to get it done is to elect candidates who already refuse this type of money.
- He Makes Ryan look like a saint - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 1:55 pm:
Squideshi, if I knew how to do that, I’d run for statewide office and name you and Rich my cabinet members
- i d - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 2:36 pm:
I’m not a highly educated individual, but I don’t think that any elected official of any party will forego the tax imcome that we are now generating to the state as a whole. Money talks and “baloney” walks.
- Squideshi - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 2:47 pm:
“Squideshi, if I knew how to do that, I’d run for statewide office and name you and Rich my cabinet members”
Wow! I’m honored. With a team like Miller and Squideshi, you’re bound to succeed!
- Woody - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 4:05 pm:
In the spring of 2006 I was going to convert from propane to electric heat, taking advantage of the deep discount given to homeowners who would convert to electric space heat. Fortunately, after a lot of digging, I found an honest person in Ameren’s Solutions Group who confided that Ameren did not intend to extend the space heat rate into 2007. Very few within Ameren knew about it, even their Customer Service Reps. I could never get an official confirmation from them on their intention to drop the rate, and eventually they started talking to me like lawyers. Some of my friends had already invested big money into heat pump sytems, only to see their heating bills increase 300-400% in January and February. Now they are faced with spending big money again to convert back to gas.
I tried all summer to alert State legislators of the coming debacle, but it was like yelling “cliff edge” to a herd of thundering Lemmings. Only after the bills started coming in did they, apparently, pay attention.
It is obvious that Ameren did not tell their electric heat customers what was coming because of the resulting political storm that might have influenced the vote of the General Assembly. I believe this deception of the people and the General Assembly is not only immoral, but illegal under State and Federal law. If any of you out there would like to file a class action suit, I will gladly participate.
- Lied to - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 4:46 pm:
WOODY, If you do this how will we know??
- Papa Legba - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 7:50 pm:
I recently received my electric bill. I had a bit of heart stoppage, so thanks Emil.
Maybe Emil needs a shot of electricity generated from an old crank telephone to get his attention.
- Concerned Voter - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 7:58 pm:
A qoute from Senate President Emil Jones referring to not wanting to freeze the electric rates, “I know one thing for certain: If you freeze your rates for a year you’re still going to have that cliff to fall off a year from now.”
Now can we use the Senator’s own words against him? Let’s see. The legislature and the Guv keep putting off fully funding the state employee pension obligations that they have, hmmmm I know one thing for certain: If you freeze your rates for a year (DON’T INCREASE PAYMENTS TO THE UNDERFUNDED PENSION FUNDS) you’re still going to have that cliff to fall off a year (or more)from now.”
If he’s going to use that logic I wish he’d apply it to everyone, not just big contributing corporations.
- WARDOG - Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 10:58 pm:
I know one thing too, Emil, that this country was founded and created because of tyrants like you and your buddy Blagojevich. Maybe you two can share the same cell before this is all done. Who pays your electric bills, Jones and Blagojevich ? Oh never mind, you would just lie to us again. Maybe you have been TRYING to do your job for too long. Just remember that GOD and the voters are watching!!