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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 4, 2018 02:43 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Aaron Bernstine and Rep. Pam Snyder |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Amending the Borough Code to standardize billing for municipal electric customers |
| This legislation is making minor changes to previously introduced bill HB1405. The minor changes include an update to technical language as well as language that would make this legislation only applicable to a limited class of municipalities. In my legislative district, my constituents are forced to receive electricity through electric lines owned by the borough while not having the option to purchase electric from a provider of their choice. As a result, my constituents in Ellwood City sometimes see their electric bills increase by large factors on a month to month basis without an increase in consumer consumption. This practice makes it impossible for residents to budget for their electric bill and is resulting in many households having their service turned off. I am going to be introducing legislation that will amend the borough code to require borough electric providers to calculate their rates the same way that municipal authorities are required to calculate their rates, rather than using this as a taxation tool that overcharges their monopolized consumers. Under my proposal, boroughs will develop a uniform and reasonable rate based on a number of factors such as staff costs, repairs, debt service and a number of other factors. This rate would then be locked in for three months and at that time could be readjusted. Please join Representative Snyder and myself in sponsoring this important piece of consumer protection legislation. |
Introduced as HB2030