It's no surprise to read that Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.'s latest rate hike is being felt across Baltimore. However, it's disheartening to hear the utility's short-sighted decisions are putting additional strain on our school districts which already face tight budgets ("BGE price increases stress Baltimore-area residents, school districts: 'It's ridiculous,'" Jan. 17).
For residents like my grandmother, a homeowner in Forest Park who lives on a fixed income, rising gas bills aren't just painful -- they make it hard to make ends meet. Her house, like many in her neighborhood, was built in the early 1900s and lacks much of the solid weatherization and insulation that could help keep the cold out during weeks of bitter temperatures.
I try my best to cover our drafty windows every year, but each winter the cost to stay comfortable always knocks us out. The fact is, these rate hikes didn't just fall out of the sky. BGE has spent millions of dollars on unnecessary infrastructure projects that bring a nice rate of return for the company's shareholders but result in higher bills for my grandmother and her neighbors.
Whether it's spending through the Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement Plan (STRIDE) or multi-year rate pilots, it all leads to one thing: higher bills. We can't afford to go through this song and dance every winter. Maryland leaders need to stand up for our elderly residents, our students and our neighborhoods and reject these gas hikes.
-- Erica Puentes, Baltimore