QUESTIONS PEOPLE SHOULD ASK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT WEEK

The previous post today provides information on the Public Hearing scheduled next Thursday at 6pm at Husson College in Bangor re: the increased rate change Bangor Hydro is seeking.

Today there was another telephone conference between various parties to this case (2010-377). Out of these conferences much has been learned the average Maine resident (ratepayer) does not realize about their Bangor Hydro Electric bill and related charges.

For instance Did you know:

The vast majority of these rate increases are levied only on residential customers and small businesses. Large corporations have hired private attorneys who have succeeded in gaining exceptions to the typical rates.

The higher the charge to ratepayers, the higher the individual stock shares pay. The executives of EMERA, the Canadian company that owns Bangor Hydro, are paid with stock options. That means, the higher the cost to us, the ratepayers, the higher the value of compensation (salary + value of stock shares) to the executives. The higher the cost to us the ratepayers, the greater the profit margin for EMERA/Bangor Hydro.

And yet, Bangor Hydro is trying to justify part of the rate increase because the pension fund for their own employees in underfunded. So, we the ratepayers are needed to bail out Bangor Hydro's employee pension plan AND increase the stock share value AND pay for the pay raises for EMERA/Bangor Hydro executives. Do you have a problem with that? I do.

The official responsibility of the Maine taxpayer funded Office of the Public Advocate is to look out for the rights of the ratepayers - not the corporations but the people, the residents. The issue of the legality of charging ANY stranded costs to Maine ratepayers has been raised in both writing and during these telephone conferences. (See the postings of the last two days for information on the federal statute which appears to show that the MPUC should never have approved ANY stranded cost rates requested by Bangor Hydro.)

This morning, Benjamin Smith, appointed Hearing Examiner for the MPUC on this case, directly asked Agnes Gromley, Senior Legal Counsel of the OPA, if she planned to file any action re: the legal standing of the Bangor Hydro stranded cost rates based on the federal statute that has been brought to the attention of all. Ms. Gromley stated the OPA did not plan to bring any action.

This means, while the OPA knows there is a federal legal issue that challenges ANY stranded costs charged to Bangor Hydro residents, OPA does not plan to challenge what has been the MPUC's practice of allowing these charges for the last ten years. Our public advocate appears to think ripping off the residents of Maine illegally should not be questioned in court. How's that for your tax dollars?

If you are not upset by YOUR public advocate (the legal office charged with looking out for your interests) that your taxes are paying for, YOU SHOULD BE.

Maine residents need to plan to attend the Public Hearing next Thursday and ask these questions.

1. Ask if it is EMERA or Bangor Hydro that is issuing thousands of additional stock shares annually?

2. Ask how much a share was worth five years ago, three years ago, and last year.

3. Ask if the Maine state pension fund (for state workers and teachers) currently holds ANY EMERA/Bangor Hydro stock? If it does, how many shares? For how long?

If our taxes are going to go up to pay the unfunded BILLIONS in liability of THAT fund, on top of state programs being cut back to help fund the deficit, should we also have our delivery of electricity rates increased as well to help increase the value of those shares?

4. Ask why EMERA/Bangor Hydro isn't funding their employees' pension plan out of their profits?

5. Ask why the highest rate is charged to residents and small businesses and why corporations are exempted or granted a lower rate? Corporations are not living on social security that has seen NO cost-of-living increase in two years.

6. Ask why the Office of the Public Advocate is not filing a class action suit in federal court prohibiting Bangor Hydro from charging ANY stranded costs under the federal statute which only applies to American corporations.


I'll be providing more questions people should ask next Thursday at the Public Hearing. Do not assume one or two people can carry this fight alone for all of Northern and Eastern Maine. YOU have to show up, stand up and speak up. This is your state and it is your money you have to fight for.