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Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen Leads Push to Block $156 Million BGE Rate Hike
Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen and a coalition of councilmembers, advocates and business owners urged the Maryland Public Service Commission to reject BGE's proposed $156 million electricity rate increase, which would add about $100 a year to the average customer's bill.
Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen led a coalition of councilmembers, community advocates and small business owners at City Hall on Monday to urge the Maryland Public Service Commission to reject Baltimore Gas and Electric's proposed $156 million increase in electricity rates.
The proposal would raise the average customer's bill by roughly $100 annually. Maryland's Office of People's Counsel has recommended that regulators deny the request and instead cut rates by nearly $44 million.
"Residents are forced to choose between groceries, rent, medication, childcare and electricity," Cohen said. He added that local businesses are struggling too. "Local businesses are going under because they can't afford their BGE bill."
The group pointed out that while customers struggle, BGE has reported more than $1 billion in profits over the past two years. Cohen questioned why high profits coexist with residents falling into poverty.
"There is something fundamentally wrong when a utility can generate that kind of profit, while the people who pay their bills are falling into poverty," he said.
City Comptroller Bill Henry and Councilmembers Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer, Antonio "Tony" Glover, Zac Blanchard, Ryan Dorsey, Mark Conway, Jermaine Jones and Mark Parker stood with Cohen, along with Silver Queen Café co-owner Nicole Evanshaw and other community advocates.
Cohen compared BGE to PECO, a Pennsylvania utility that recently withdrew its request for a rate increase without disrupting reliable service. "If you can do it in Pennsylvania, why can't you do it here in Baltimore?" he said.
Council leaders are introducing a resolution urging the PSC to deny the rate increase and to lower BGE's allowed return on equity from 9.5 percent to 7.3 percent. Cohen said the move could save customers more than $110 per year.
Residents were encouraged to add their voices. Cohen urged, "If you're tired of continuing to see the bills go up, please sign our petition at High Energy Bills maryland.org." He reminded the public that the PSC will hold another public hearing on Nov. 18 and residents can register to speak until Nov. 16.
Cohen closed with a message about accountability. "BGE is accountable to their shareholders, the PSC and every elected official standing here today is accountable to the people," he said. "They represent the money. We represent the many. We will not allow our residents to be crushed by this monopoly."