Aurora is one of several municipalities in Illinois pushing for a referendum to allow cities to negotiate electric rates on behalf of residents.
In theory, this would mean you could potentially eliminate ComEd from the equation, right?
Wrong. There are two major parts of your electric bill. The delivery and energy charges. ComEd is still going to deliver your electricity regardless. Energy prices are market-driven.
So, how are other third-party companies able to offer savings on energy prices that ComEd cannot?
It's because in 2007, ComEd signed long-term energy contracts that, due to the extensive recession, are now above the market prices, so third-party entities are able to offer slight savings...mostly of a few cents a day.
Those contracts expire in June 2013, so at that time, everything could change and ComEd's portion of the energy rates would likely come down and others may even go up.
Citizens Utility Board (CUB) says there could be minor short-term savings, but long-term, all that could change.
If the referendum passes, you are automatically added with two chances to opt-out. If the referendum fails, the municipality can still try to negotiate the same deals, but you would have to choose to opt-in.
But, there's a much bigger danger lurking behind-the-scenes. When government entities hire their cronies, consultants and buddies to negotiate on behalf of large groups of customers, there's potentially millions of dollars at stake collectively.
In Illinois, the moment you give government officials the power over any money, strange things happen.
It's called CORRUPTION, already an epidemic and widespread at every level.
And, this would be a new frontier for corruption.
So, while some may want you to believe this is about saving you a few cents per day, ask yourself if the reason local government officials are so anxious to help you is because it will actually help themselves and their cronies.
Don't forget, it's YOUR electricity and money. Trust it with government and you may get zapped.
Click here for the Citizen Utility Board (CUB)'s guide to the aggregation issue
10 comments:
Inititally, I thought this was a good idea, but after better understanding this thanks to this post, I would prefer that residents be given the chance to opt-in, not opt-out. So, I'll vote against this referendum.
It is still a bid process, which should be open to the public. This is one opportunity for the government to actually save us money. I don't care if its opt in or opt out, I'm in!
I'm voting against it. Let the gov't first prove they got us a good deal, disclose what consultants got paid what and what other communities are paying and THEN I'll decide to opt-in if I like it.
the fact this is designed as an opt-out, not opt-in process, should tell you they don't want people to really decide for themsevles.
bids are rigged.
the police station was full of corruption, yet had "bids"
I had already decided against this long ago. You also need to remember that although the non-Comed suppliers will be submitting a bid and contracting for a certain price, in the future they can raise that price every time they redo bids. W/ ComEd, they can only raise their rates if approved by the ICC. Granted there are issues there, as well, but I like that the utility company has to get permission to raise rates, meaning they've had to justify them.
I say a couple more windmills should do the trick and we can all have free electricity. Especially if they put on the the roof of 44 East to take advantage of all the hot air.
Let the government into anything and you are going to get FUCKED, FUCKED, FUCKED period.
http://openlie.blogspot.com/
More crooks consorting with crooks.
Todays fishwrap has an article about the socialist project for affordible housing at Jericho Circle. This is a perfect example of why you do not want government doing things that the free market should, and can provide. Many years ago the camel got his nose under the tent and now is so far inside that the "government" can no longer control it. Think before you vote.
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