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Casagrande, Handlin: “1000 times no to JCP&L rate increase”

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

Public hearings for JCP&L’s proposed rate increase started yesterday in Toms River.  The Monmouth County hearing is on April 24 at the Freehold Township Municipal Building.

Assemblywomen Caroline Casagrande (R-11) and Amy Handlin (R-13) have already gathered 1300 constituent signatures on a petition opposing the JCP&L rate increase.  The petition will be submitted to the Board of the Public Utilities at the Freehold hearing.

“Our constituents are tired of over promises and underperformances by  their electric company and we’re going to make sure their voices are heard until  JCP&L pulls the plug on this rate hike,” Handlin, R-Monmouth, said.  “JCP&L’s customers have already paid the price by suffering through  prolonged outages, so our response to their request is a simple and firm,  ‘No.’”

Handlin and Casagrande noted their constituent’s outrage with JCP&L’s poor performance in restoring  power and keeping families, businesses and communities informed during prolonged  outages – most notably Hurricanes Sandy and Irene. The petition also notes the  allegation by the N.J. Division of Rate Counsel that the utility is earning too much profit from New Jersey ratepayers to send  back to its parent company in Ohio.

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande

“We can say it once, or we can say it a thousand times, the answer is  still, ‘No,’” Casagrande, R-Monmouth, said. “Losing power for extended periods  of time is a very difficult and costly burden for families and businesses. We  have had more than our share of severe outages because JCP&L refused to  invest its corporate profits to update its infrastructure and keep the power on  in our communities.”

The petition can be signed online here.

 

Posted: April 9th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Amy Handlin, Caroline Casagrande, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, JCP&L, Monmouth County | Tags: , , , , , | 9 Comments »