Jul 4, 2008 7:32 am US/Eastern
Protesters Gather Over Latest BGE Rate Hike
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) ―
There's anger after another increase in the price for electricity.
Mary Bubala reports protesters plan to gather for the second time Friday night to target the state's largest energy provider, BGE.
That protest will meet at downtown at BGE headquarters and then head over to the Inner Harbor, where hundreds will gather for the fireworks.
BGE isn't talking about the grassroots effort to re-regulate utilities, but with temperatures and gasoline prices going up everyday, the Maryland Coalition to Stop the Rate Hikes isn't giving up the fight.
Ten to 15 protesters joined Thursday night with the determination to hold state elected officials accountable for a series of BGE rate adjustments that have Marylanders paying 85 percent more for electricity and what they call the legislature's subsequent refusal to re-regulate the industry.
"We find their conduct and that of many legislators to be traitorous to the best interest of working people, poor people and senior citizens," said Leo Burroughs, Md. Coalition to Stop the BGE Rate Hike.
Marylanders appear to be inside the perfect energy storm. Rate hikes designed to bring the state in line with market rates are combined with escalating gasoline prices to cause personal havoc.
Speakers are expected to put more pressure on lawmakers to do what several other states have done, re-regulate the utility industry.
Chris Bush is so committed to the cause, he doesn't mind standing in 90 degree heat to make his point.
"Like everybody else, we're all having to cut back. We're paying more for less, and you know it's completely unfair that that's the case," said Bush. "These rates are unjustifiably high. They ought to go back to where they were, back before the rates jumped up in 2006."
The coalition wants Baltimore to actively study producing its own power.
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