AARP to Lawmakers: You Will Hear From Your Constituents on SB1652

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Oct 26, 2011, 06:42 ET

Association Blasts Lawmakers for Overriding Veto of SB1652

Statement from AARP Illinois Senior State Director Bob Gallo

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Oct. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "The General Assembly just sent a clear message to their constituents: Corporate interests and campaign cash trump the needs of Illinois consumers.

"Today, lawmakers voted to override the Governor's veto of Senate Bill 1652 – guaranteeing higher electric rates for consumers and higher profits for ComEd and Ameren.

"At a time when consumers are struggling to make ends meet, with prices on the rise for everything from gas to groceries, taxes increasing, and home values declining, it is appalling that Illinois lawmakers would chose to further burden consumers with a law that amounts to nothing more than corporate greed.

"Under the guise of improved infrastructure, ComEd and Ameren successfully convinced the General Assembly to gut Illinois' utility ratemaking process – a process that exists to balance the interests of consumers with that of the utility companies. This veto override has effectively silenced the voice of the consumer and tied the hands of the Illinois Commerce Commission – all while guaranteeing higher profits for two of the state's largest monopolies.

"AARP's recent survey of 800 registered voters showed that 52% of respondents would not vote for a candidate that allowed electric utilities to raise rates annually. Illinois lawmakers can be assured that they will hear about this issue at the polls in 2012.

"AARP commends those Senators who voted to uphold the Governor's veto, including Sens. Bivins, Bomke, Clyborne, Cultra, Collins J., Duffy, Forby, Frerichs, Garrett, Johnson C., Kotowski, LaHood, Lauzen, Maloney, McCann, McCarter, Mulroe, Schmidt, Schoenberg, Silverstein, Steans, Sullivan and Syverson.

"AARP is highly disappointed in those Senators who voted to override the Governor's veto, including Sens. Althoff, Brady, Collins A., Crotty, Cullerton, Delgado, Dillard, Haine, Harmon, Holmes, Hunter, Hutchinson, Jacobs, Johnson T., Jones E., Jones J., Koehler, Landek, Lightford, Link, Luechtefeld, Martinez, Meeks, Milner, Munoz, Murphy, Noland, Pankau, Radogno, Raoul, Rezin, Righter, Sandack, Sandoval, Trotter and Wilhelmi.

"We are extremely disappointed in those lawmakers who chose to represent ComEd and Ameren's corporate interests over those of their constituents – and we will be letting our 1.7 million Illinois members know how their legislator voted on this issue."

SOURCE AARP Illinois