Electric choice must come with consumer protections
Pennsylvanians should not have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more for electricity just because they tried to find a better deal. A recent Spotlight PA article showed how the state’s electric choice program can leave customers paying more than they expected. In 2024, customers who shopped for electricity paid an estimated $350 million more than they would have by staying with their utility’s rate. With energy costs already high, confusing contracts and unexpected rate increases only make things worse.
Don’t get us wrong: Competition and consumer choice are good things. But a competitive market only works when customers have clear information, fair terms and meaningful protections. Too many Pennsylvanians pay more because they don’t understand their contract terms or their rates change without warning. When customers miss contract expiration notices, they can be rolled into new agreements with different pricing. That’s not a choice; that’s a bait-and-switch.
The Keystone Contractors Association urges policymakers and regulators to take action to protect our members and their families from unfair pricing and deceptive contracts. Rising energy costs are straining household budgets and increasing business operating expenses across the commonwealth. To make electric choice work, Harrisburg needs to close loopholes, improve transparency and establish safeguards that put customers first.
Protecting consumers doesn’t mean eliminating competition. It means ensuring people understand what they’re buying. Pennsylvania electric consumers, including our members, deserve the freedom to choose their supplier without being misled and ultimately paying more for a service they thought would save them money.
Jon O’Brien
Keystone Contractors Association
The crazy left has a home in Philadelphia
City leaders and local media were horrified that a local group staged a bike protest against Jewish businesses on Nov. 8.
Oh, c’mon. This is like being “shocked there is gambling going on” in Casablanca.
The city library system holds Palestinian days, and the public schools have received complaints about anti-Jewish propaganda being spread by staff.
I just found out the mayor’s office scheduled a day of gratitude for Palestinians in Philly (Nov. 24.).
This is the same school, library system and mayor’s office that will not recognize that Columbus Day even exists.
We have a DA who calls MAGA people fascists. We have a newly reelected governor who bashes Trump voters.
We have democrat socialists like Chris Rabb now in Congress, and also in our City Council on an anti-ICE crusade, no different from the destructive “defund the police” movement that we still have not recovered from.
We have a spiteful local TV news, and the Inquirer allowing the trashing of anyone with conservative or traditional religious values – and giving us almost no voice in response.
And you wonder why crazy lefty bicyclists have a “comfortable home” in this totally Democrat city?
Richard Iaconelli
Rhawnhurst
Money grab
Mark Twain once observed, “There are lies, damned lies and statistics,” meaning that statistics can be manipulated and massaged to get the outcome that the statistician wants. Add to that, speed camera data is kept top-secret from the public and any independent, unbiased researcher with no financial ties to the cameras. So, the camera boosters, who get enormous financial rewards from camera tickets, expect us to believe what they tell us.
In addition, to be credible, highway statistics must be gathered 5 years before and 5 years after the start of any program to get an accurate picture of success or failure. This involves a statistical concept called Regression to the Mean. Over time, an average of accidents is compiled, and a year of severe increase or decrease is thrown out. The 26% figure may be an anomaly unrelated to cameras or Vision Zero, but we don’t know because we don’t have enough data.
In addition, lowering Broad Street’s limit from 35 mph to 25 mph and then installing speed cameras is the classic definition of a speed trap. It’s only for the money, not for safety.
Is the data Philadelphia gives us believable?
Tom McCarey
Berwyn
PGW deadbeats
While Councilman Jones is looking into PGW shutoff policies, maybe he can find how many people aren’t paying their utility bills because they are paying their $100 tickets for going 37 mph on Broad Street and Frankford Avenue. There is probably a set-aside for these tickets as there is for heating bills.
Richard Donofry
East Torresdale
