PA Senate Bill 1121

[PADemD]

Senate Bill 1121 Would End Default Electricity Service and Auction Off Consumers to Unregulated Suppliers

http://states.aarp.org/pa-issue-summary-senate-bill-1121-would-end-default-electricity-service-and-auction-off-consumers-to-unregulated-suppliers/

Now the legislature wants to sell your electric service off to the winning (not necessarily lowest) bidder.

I tried an alternate electric supplier, and their VARIABLE rate was almost twice the non-variable rate charged by Met-Ed. I switched back.

[malthaussen]

1. The love of profit is the root of all evil.

I know telecom lovers will try to argue that communications improved immensely when Ma Bell was broken up, but I tend to believe that privatization is, on balance, a curse on mankind. Not that government-directed industries are necessarily efficient, but at least they are not bloated by the necessity of profit. Has any public service, when privatized, really ended up costing us less and working better?

-- Mal

[Curmudgeoness]

2. I don't know if they have worked better,

but I do think that the long distance charges were cut when there was competition. Whether that would have happened anyways is another story, and I believe that they would have, but it may have taken longer. I will say that it did not work better, since we saw some of the sleaziest players show up to sell us long distance service. And the contracts got stranger and stranger----you just had no idea what you were getting into.

And that is probably what would happen with the electric service. Innovation in squirrelly contracts.

[crogers561]

3. I've made my decision

I have made my decision, and that was to stay with my current provider, Met-Ed. Now I'm to be forced to another company. WOW, I'll get $50. That should cover the increase in my bill. All of these costs to the companies will be added to the consumers bills. No company will absorb them. Bob M. claims they will be "Made up on the back end". Where do they think that is. The back end in this case is the end user of the product, the consumer.

Once slotted in these companies, rates will increase, and we'll be forced to pay them. How much is being shuffled to Bobs campaign? Think about it. Then you get shifted to another company. How often, and for how much of an increase. These things will cost money, and again, the suppliers won't pick it up.

I made my choice, and now Bob M. want to change that. Why. Some scam to have power companies pay the state for my business. The power companies will see it as an opportunity to get more customers, and in turn increase profits. Which is all that really matters to them. Again, the cost to the power suppliers to "gain" our account will not be taken by the companies. Expenses like this have always been absorbed by the consumer.

The AARP has a lot of valid points concerning their members, and access to the internet where people are suppose to sign up for their supplier. The poor are in the same group as well.

I keep my same health coverage every year without changing anything. Will Bob come along and force me into another plan. The power company is the first step. Let's not let this happen.