As many as 75 to 100 people may testify today at Gov. Robert Ehrlich’s veto hearing on legislation to reduce BGE electric rates and replace the Public Service Commission that approved 72 percent rate increases.
People interested in testifying had until 3 p.m. Monday to sign up on the state Web site. There may be enough time in the five-hour hearing starting at 3 p.m. today to hear from each of them for three minutes a person, according to Ehrlich legislative director Alan Friedman.
This type of hearing is a rarely used procedure to collect evidence on controversial bills. Gov. William Donald Schaefer had one on raising the speed limit to 65 mph, and the longest and largest in recent memory was a 5 1/2-hour hearing held in the House of Delegates chamber in 1972 by Gov. Marvin Mandel on abortion legislation.
Friedman said the governor’s staff will choose those who will testify, with preference given to people who haven’t spoken yet. Both proponents and opponents will be heard.
State Democratic Party Chairman Terry Lierman called the hearing “a total orchestrated sham. It’s Ehrlich-Steele mimicking George Bush’s town meetings where everyone is completely screened and everything is scripted.”
But Friedman said, “I think it’s going to be a lot fairer than a hearing you have at 10 o’clock on a bill you post at eight o’clock,” referring to the legislature’s rapid-fire special session last week.
