PEPCO AT IT AGAIN

Last July, I posted my comments on newspaper articles listing PEPCO as the most hated company in America. If anyone in PEPCO’s top management had a soul, they would have done more to improve their service and their reputation. But, apparently no one there has a soul because here we are six months later and current headlines show where they really spent their money. Not on paying taxes or improving their third-world level of service but on congressional lobbyists.

From 2008-2010, PEPCO “paid $3.8 million to lobbyists in that period, while it paid no taxes.”¹ This information was released “about a month after Pepco…asked for a $68 million rate increase.” ¹  Those of us who live in Montgomery County pay extra Fuel Energy taxes on top of all this. Our officials are making efforts to rein PEPCO in. “Last month the Maryland Public Service Commission also issued Pepco a $1 million fine for subpar service.” ¹

We need an online “Occupy PEPCO” movement. Until the public figuratively batters down PEPCO’s doors, they won’t really change what they are doing even if their TV ads say they are doing better. In fact, their ads may be true. Doing better than crappy is not a hard feat to accomplish.

Write your officials and tell them to work to get PEPCO to pay its fair share of taxes and give us the quality service we are paying for!

Contacts:

US Representatives:
Ben Cardin http://cardin.senate.gov/contact/
Barbara Mikulski http://mikulski.senate.gov/contact/shareyouropinion.cfm

Roscoe Bartlett https://bartlettforms.house.gov/Email_Roscoe/default.aspx
Elijah Cummingshttps://cummingsforms.house.gov/contact/message-form.shtml
Donna Edwards http://donnaedwards.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=52&sectiontree=452
Andy Harris https://harris.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Steny Hoyerhttps://forms.house.gov/hoyer/webforms/zip_auth.shtm
Dutch Ruppersberger http://dutch.house.gov/email-dutch.shtml
John Sarbanes http://sarbanes.house.gov/federal.asp
Christopher Van Hollen, Jr. http://vanhollen.house.gov/Contact/

Maryland Governor (Martin O'Malley): marylandgov@doit.state.md.us; governor@gov.state.md.us
Montgomery County Council Members: County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov
Montgomery County House Delegation: house@montgomerycountydelegation.com
Montgomery County Senate Delegation: senate@montgomerycountydelegation.com
Montgomery County: Director of the Office of Consumer Protection, Eric Friedman,  at (240) 777-3719 or eric.friedman@montgomerycountymd.gov

Pepco's Media Relations Department:
Bob Hainey
Manager Media Relations
Phone: (202) 872-2680
email: rshainey@pepcoholdings.com

Clay Anderson
Sr. Media Representative
Phone: (202) 872-2680
email: canderson@pepcoholdings.com

PEPCO Corporate Correspondence
Pepco
701 Ninth St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20068

¹http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/maryland/2012/01/pepco-spends-more-lobbying-taxes/2110351

Here's Your Chance to Guide Gaithersburg City Officials

Posted 1/11/2012
"In advance of their annual planning retreat in February, the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council are inviting public input on budget priorities for fiscal year 2013 (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013). Comment will be accepted during the Mayor and City Council Work Session on Monday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 31 South Summit Avenue, or can be provided electronically via email to cityhall@gaithersburgmd.gov."

  http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/poi/default.asp?POI_ID=309&TOC=307;309;&id=5405

Maryland 2012 General Assembly Issues to Watch

Maryland state lawmakers began the 2012 session this past Wednesday, one the local press is expecting to be the “busiest 90-day session in years.” There are many controversial issues on their plate as well as funding proposals that will have significant as well as long-term impact on residents.

Issue Summary:

• Legalize same-sex marriages
• Enact a public subsidy to promote development of offshore wind power
• Enact several tax or fee increases, as well as increased government borrowing in the name of creating jobs
• Increase the gas tax
• Increase the “flush tax”
• Abolish capital punishment in the state
• Expand the state’s gambling sites
• Enact in-state tuition for immigrants (DREAM Act)
• Legalize Medical marijuana
• Enact aid to transportation (by increasing the motor fuel tax, vehicle registration fees and other transportation revenues)
• Improve public transportation
• Enable a hotel tax in Harford County

Whom to Contact:

• Maryland Governor (Martin O'Malley): marylandgov@doit.state.md.us; governor@gov.state.md.us
• Montgomery County House Delegation: house@montgomerycountydelegation.com
• Montgomery County Senate Delegation: senate@montgomerycountydelegation.com
• Maryland Transportation Secretary (Swaim-Staley): secretary@mdot.state.md.us

Montgomery County Big Government Kills Business Development

In the 18 years I’ve lived in Montgomery County, I’ve seen a lot of businesses, both big and small. leave the area. The pundits say our area has unfriendly business policies and I’ve no doubt that is part of the reason.


Earlier this week the Washington Examiner ran an article* about how Montgomery County needs to mend its ways to attract as well as maintain businesses critical to supporting our local economies. The president of the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Camber of Congress noted big government hassles of “zoning and permit processes”. Another example of big government noted by the president of Baltimore-based SPG Trend Advisors id burdensome state taxes and regulations.


A recent example of Montgomery County’s business and consumer unfriendly policies is the bag tax. This tax goes too far including paper bags. At least DC is pretending to save the environment. From a practical perspective, reusable bags quickly become unsanitary and the cost of cleaning them is an additional burden on consumers and when they outlived their usefulness add more bulk to land fills. Financially, the bag tax adds unnecessary burdens on those with lower incomes. It adds tactical burdens on those can afford it – scurrying to find a bag or dropping all one’s purchases because you decided to skip the bag.


It’s the same big government officials making and maintaining other business and consumer unfriendly policies. Will they really learn to do better?

The other part of attracting and maintaining businesses is Montgomery County’s incentives shouldn’t harm consumers in the process. In 2003, Doug Duncan enacted the Fuel-energy tax to close a loophole excluding some businesses. Instead of just fixing the loophole, the tax over penalizes residential customers. For those who forgot, this tax was only supposed end after two-years but every month, my utility bills show it’s still alive and kicking!


Ike Leggett is "not sure privatizing development is in the best interest of the county." It's the residents' interest that is suffering. Montgomery County officials consistently show they know nothing about business or lower-income constituents. Let’s get them out of our pockets.

Let me know what you think.


* http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/maryland/2012/01/montgomery-county-seeks-more-business-friendly-reputation/2057581#ixzz1in8BfJjl

Day 2 of the Montgomery County Bag Tax

Today I traveled to Whole Foods in the Kentlands and joyfully listened to these two families gripe about the Montgomery County bag tax:


1) As I entered, a family was exiting and the dad was going over the sales receipt very carefully. He commented (about the bag tax) - they added it for each bag and then took it away for each bag we brought.

Q: Aren't we supposed to get credit for using recyclable bags not just come out even?

2) As I was checking out, the elderly couple in front of me was getting the "issue" explained to them by the cashier - for the third time. Finally, the woman said "well, we'll just have to start shopping outside Montgomery County."

A: That's not the response Montgomery County officials are expecting. We have a lot of retired folks in our area and they will take their non-recyclable bags elsewhere.

A: Folks, complain directly to the Montgomery County Council. If we just complain to each other, they won't repeal it. County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov

The New Year Brings New Local Taxes

Happy New Year - unless you live in Montgomery County. I just had my first experience with the new "bag" tax at the local Giant. It was confusing. It delayed all lines. It added nothing positive to my life experience.

Remember, you can write your local officials to demand they repeal it.

Montgomery County Council Members: County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov