A public utility should serve the public

I never thought I would say this, but I applaud Sen. Lisa Boscola for her efforts to suspend the planned PPL rate increase.

[2nd amendment]

"And, who scheduled the PUC hearing at 3 p.m. on April 2 for the public to ask questions? Last time I checked, the majority of the public works 9 to 5, or thereabout. It would be a better idea to hold the meeting in the evening or on a Saturday."

I agree Mr. Kucharik but that would mean the PUC actually cares about what we think when clealry they don't.

I would like to see more than one hearing so that all PPL customers would have an opportunity to attend.

This is nothing more than to create the illusion that the PUC cares about anything other than the PPL's interests.

[ppl rules]

i really don't care if the rate goes up. oh yes i do. more cash for my stocks. yea for me. buy ppl stocks. i have 500 shares. me rich thanks and keep paying your bills.

[Jim]

ppl rules wrote:

i really don't care if the rate goes up. oh yes i do. more cash for my stocks. yea for me. buy ppl stocks. i have 500 shares. me rich thanks and keep paying your bills.

A-hole!

[Capt-M117]

The public has no one to blame but itself. You allowed the utility industry to preach deregulation. You allowed the politicians to push the bills through that created deregulation. All with the false promise of lower energy costs. You allowed yourselves to be swindled, thinking you would save on electric.

Well, guess what! The electric utilities across the country are all laughing on their way to the banks.

You would think the public would have learned that deregulation didn't lower your cable bills, phone bills, or improve air fairs. It just put more money in the pockets of the CEO's.

Now you want to fight to keep the cap on the price PPL can charge for electricity. So you think PPL should have to sell electricity for less than they can make it or purchase it from other suppliers. THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!! Because , if that would happen, PPL would go belly up and another utility will come in and take over the survice area and raise rates anyway. Is that what you want?

[Capt-M117]

You truly want to stop companies for charging high rates? Force your politicians to pass laws against CEO's who rape their companies and customs with their outlandish salaries and compensations.

No one person is worth 9.7 million dollars in one year. Even Hecht didn't make that much his last year.(I'm talking salary, not his retirement package) And he had proven himself for many years to build up to his final paycheck.

What has this guy done? He came in and sold off most of the assests of the company. That's were the big profits came from. What's he going to sell off next year to justify 2008's big paycheck?

[Anonymous]

Wait...you want to call a business that is openly traded to the public and has been deregulated a public utility and make it seem that the users are the only ones that put money into this company.

Sorry you do not like that rates are going to go up...but that is what prices do.

[Ya Huh]

That's just the point, Jim. The public utilities want the same latitude as the oil companies where pricing is concerned. They want to be part of the free market, and recent PPL TV commercials site the break up of Ma Bell as a model they'd like to follow. Your best bet for keeping the electric companies regulated is to keep voting for folks like Boscola and while you're at it, take a look at how Congressman Dent votes to protect oil company and electric company profits. You might be surprised.

[LookingToEscape]

Ya Huh wrote:

That's just the point, Jim. The public utilities want the same latitude as the oil companies where pricing is concerned. They want to be part of the free market, and recent PPL TV commercials site the break up of Ma Bell as a model they'd like to follow. Your best bet for keeping the electric companies regulated is to keep voting for folks like Boscola and while you're at it, take a look at how Congressman Dent votes to protect oil company and electric company profits. You might be surprised.

Your best bet might be solar electric.

The public does have options.

[Jim]

Ya Huh wrote:

That's just the point, Jim. The public utilities want the same latitude as the oil companies where pricing is concerned. They want to be part of the free market, and recent PPL TV commercials site the break up of Ma Bell as a model they'd like to follow. Your best bet for keeping the electric companies regulated is to keep voting for folks like Boscola and while you're at it, take a look at how Congressman Dent votes to protect oil company and electric company profits. You might be surprised.

I think you want to address your comments to "ppl", not Jim.

[Fact Is]

Anonymous wrote:

Sorry you do not like that rates are going to go up...but that is what prices do.

SORRY will be the key word shortly. oil prices up 300% since 1999. Shortly electric another 34%, etc., etc.

Big flaw in your logic. Peoples' incomes cannot sustain these prices if their salaries do not increase and match these insane increases. Hence people have taken 6+ year car loans, 40-50 year mortgages. America cannot borrow it's way into financial security. It doesn't matter how much everyone chit chats. The economy is doomed to tank no matter how America tries to bluff herself that all is well. We need more jobs coming home that can pay for these things. Bad enough for over 2/3 of a nation on fixed incomes, but even the 1/3 that have great paying jobs will not see these kinds of increases in the majority of cases. Good for you if your one of the few. But generaly speaking the majority will never keep up with this.. PERIOD!

[Rob]

Looking to Escape:
"Your best bet might be solar electric"
Have YOU done the conversion to partial or total solar electric? Do you think everyone out there can afford the tens of thousands of dollars in up front costs for solar electric? I've looked into it and it is a large up front investment.

[LookingToEscape]

Rob wrote:

Looking to Escape:
"Your best bet might be solar electric"
Have YOU done the conversion to partial or total solar electric? Do you think everyone out there can afford the tens of thousands of dollars in up front costs for solar electric? I've looked into it and it is a large up front investment.

I'd like free electric too, but since PP&L will not accomodate me, I'll have to pay the rates. I am not convinced supressing PP&L rates will be a good long term move, but it will be a great short term move for Boscola's political future.

As for solar, the payback time will be reduced as PP&L rates increase.

No one said getting something for nothing would be cheap.

[Anonymous]

Fact Is wrote:

<quoted text>
SORRY will be the key word shortly. oil prices up 300% since 1999. Shortly electric another 34%, etc., etc.
Big flaw in your logic. Peoples' incomes cannot sustain these prices if their salaries do not increase and match these insane increases. Hence people have taken 6+ year car loans, 40-50 year mortgages. America cannot borrow it's way into financial security. It doesn't matter how much everyone chit chats. The economy is doomed to tank no matter how America tries to bluff herself that all is well. We need more jobs coming home that can pay for these things. Bad enough for over 2/3 of a nation on fixed incomes, but even the 1/3 that have great paying jobs will not see these kinds of increases in the majority of cases. Good for you if your one of the few. But generaly speaking the majority will never keep up with this.. PERIOD!

You are detailing all the people that are horrible with their money.

If you have to borrow 6 or 7 years to get a car, you are getting in WAY OVER your head. Buy used or take mass transit.

If you take a mortgage over 30 years...again you are getting in WAY OVER your head. Buy smaller.

So electricity goes up by 30%...say $100 a month more for the majority you mention.

If the majority of our country cannot cut back on their $5 lattes, gas guzzling SUVs, cable television, flat screens, cell phones, eating out,$150 sneakers, and everything that we waste money on, then we are truly 2 months from the end of this country.

What have the rate increases been from PPL over the last 15 years?

[Sounds like Sail]

Outrageous compensation? Look no further then Sen Boscola's retirement package. Remember all the PA.politicians that turned down the last pay raise, but then quietly passed a giant raise in their retirement packages. Remember a few years ago when our Senator was accused of being the town drunk and vehemently denied it? Then just a short time later rang up a twice the legal limit drunk driving charge. Yeah, You go girl!

[Fact Is]

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
You are detailing all the people that are horrible with their money.
If the majority of our country cannot cut back on their $5 lattes, gas guzzling SUVs, cable television, flat screens, cell phones, eating out,$150 sneakers, and everything that we waste money on, then we are truly 2 months from the end of this country.

I don't think the majority are doing that, but if I give that to you.. I still ask when we walk around in a hole in our shoes, eating peanut butter sandwichs, and ride our bikes. I should do all this to feed the wealthy? Will the prices cease these insane increases?

I agree people are foolish with their money in many instances. However no manner of prudence will be enough to sustain these unabated growths. I could never be poor enough for these guys. Simple fact is if the average income growth is 3 or 4% in no way can even the wealthest sustain.

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/ib239

[Anonymous]

Fact Is wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't think the majority are doing that, but if I give that to you.. I still ask when we walk around in a hole in our shoes, eating peanut butter sandwichs, and ride our bikes. I should do all this to feed the wealthy? Will the prices cease these insane increases?
I agree people are foolish with their money in many instances. However no manner of prudence will be enough to sustain these unabated growths. I could never be poor enough for these guys. Simple fact is if the average income growth is 3 or 4% in no way can even the wealthest sustain.
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/ib239

If it is a life necessity, something you cannot live without and something that has no alternative option then yes you must eat PBJ. Is electricity that type of product? No. are cars, TVs, Cable, Cell Phones, Vacations? Not for 99% of the country.

You have to pay what the electric company says you have to pay...we have to let capital markets be what they are. They are responsible for the rise of this country.