The legislature?s rate reduction plan was an express train that left the station and was barreling down the tracks Wednesday night as the special session rushed to conclusion.
Left behind on the platform were Gov. Robert Ehrlich and some of his Republican supporters in the Senate and House, as they watched some of his executive powers being carriedaway.
Executives at Constellation and BGE had clearly decided that they had achieved some of the financial certainty they had sought at a Tuesday hearing.
They were not going to fight the replacement of the Public Service Commission, seen by legislators as the company?s willing ally in a 72 percent rate increase.
Where did the company?s stance leave the governor Wednesday morning?
“He needs to get on the train,” said Sen. Edward Kasemeyer, D-Baltimore County, a leader in negotiating electricity rates during the regular session.
“The train has left,” quipped Sen. Patrick Hogan, D-Montgomery, vice chairman of the Budget Committee. “He can?t get his ticket punched.”
As of early Wednesday evening, Ehrlich had not changed his repeated opposition to replacing what he has described as his “pro-business” PSC. He has refused to say whether he will veto the bill.
Sen. Brinkley, R-Frederick, tried to win passage of a rate reduction plan that did not eliminate the PSC. Replacing the PSC is “shooting the messenger,” Brinkley said.
Senate Republican leader Lowell Stoltzfus, of Wicomico, said changing the PSC “destabilizes the industry” by changing all the regulators of the utility sector.
The bill substantially reduces this governor?s appointment powers. He named four of the five current commissioners, all of them Republican. His power to appoint the people?s counsel, an independent adviser to the commission, is being given to the attorney general.
