While all businesses and most homeowners will be directly affected with higher energy costs, at least thirty Illinois business groups signed onto a letter Monday asking Governor Pritzker to "delay [the energy] legislation and meaningfully engage the consumers, business owners, organizations and municipalities that will be saddled with the costs."
At least one other group – the Technology & Manufacturing Association – is being added to the effort, the coordinator Ryan McLaughlin told Illinois Review:
Dear Governor Pritzker:
In 1997, Illinois deregulated the energy market resulting in billions of dollars in savings for homeowners and businesses. Our low-cost energy prices and reliable grid have been cited by governors time and again as reasons why businesses should stay in or relocate to Illinois.
Twenty-four years later, instead of building on this strength, the proposed energy legislation being circulated will be the largest rate hike on consumers and businesses in history. At least as it has been described to us by several of those who have been fortunate enough to be included in the discussions.
This legislation not only includes a rate hike for low-income families in every part of this state, but also on every business and organization large and small. Lobbyists for the environmental community and many others appear to have had unfettered access in writing a bill that imposes massive costs on others. On several occasions we have requested economic, reliability, and rate impact studies and the raw data inputs that undergird them. Those requests have been ignored. These are landmark energy changes will upend Illinois’ competitive energy marketplace. Ironically, as the state and Chicago proudly announced the Phase 5 reopening many of those same businesses and organizations are going to be saddled with significantly higher electricity costs, as reflected by those industries that have signed this letter.
At a minimum, we project the first installment of the cost increase on businesses and municipalities to be $700 million annually; including an additional $215 million to pay for new programs paid for by ratepayers without their input. Due to the lack of transparency and accountability in this process – meaning there is no data provided to outline the costs of every fee, mandate, and regulation in this bill – we are calling this legislation an installment because this legislation will only keep sending higher bills every step of the way. In a nutshell, this legislation will be a credit card that keeps spending money without any accountability. Period.
Since 1997, there has never been energy legislation subject to less transparency or accountability. Given the lack of transparency under which it has been developed, rate payers and policy makers deserve the benefit of full disclosure and independent verification of the cost impacts.
On behalf of the people most impacted by this legislation, we urge you to delay this legislation and meaningfully engage the consumers, business owners, organizations and municipalities that will be saddled with the costs.
Sincerely,
Mark Denzler
President & CEO
Illinois Manufacturers’ AssociationBrad Cole
Executive Director Illinois Municipal League
Jeffrey D. Adkisson
Executive Vice President
Grain and Feed Association of IllinoisMichael Jacobson
President & CEO
Illinois Hotel & Lodging AssociationDaniel D. Clausner
Executive Director
Illinois Licensed Beverage AssociationJosh Sharp
CEO
Illinois Fuel and Retail AssociationTodd Maisch
President & CEO
Illinois Chamber of CommerceAlicia Martin
President
Associated Builders & Contractors, IL ChapterJody A. Kohl
Managing Director
Midwest Hardware AssociationKathy Gilmore
President
Valley Industrial AssociationRob Karr
President & CEO
Illinois Retail Merchants AssociationFarzin Parang
Executive Director BOMA
Kevin Johnson
Interim President
Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical AssociationMark A. Biel
Chief Executive Officer
Chemical Industry Council of IllinoisBob Myers
President
Associated Beer Distributors of IllinoisPat Doerr
Managing Director
Hospitality Business Association of ChicagoJim Watson
Executive Director API-Illinois Petroleum Council
Mark Grant
Illinois State Director
National Federation of Independent BusinessSteve Longhta
President
Illinois Industrial Energy ConsumersChris Hembrough
President & CEO
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce
CC: House Speaker Chris Welch
House Minority Leader Jim DurkinSenate President Don Harmon
Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie Members of the Illinois House
Members of the Illinois Senate
