The Roanoke Times editorialized today about Creigh Deeds’ attempt to falsely pin electricity rate in
The Roanoke Times editorialized today about Creigh Deeds’ attempt to falsely pin electricity rate increases on Bob McDonnell in a recent ad produced by the Deeds campaign. The paper noted, “Before customers who have choked on high electric bills break out their pitchforks and go after McDonnell, they should know that Deeds’ ad is not honest…. Deeds should be ashamed.”
The full column is available at this link, or below.
EDITORIAL
McDonnell didn’t decide rates
Friday, September 18, 2009
To hear Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds tell it, his opponent is to blame for high electricity rates in Southwest Virginia.
A recent Deeds television advertisement accuses Bob McDonnell of helping Appalachian Power Co. win rate increases totaling $180 million. Before customers who have choked on high electric bills break out their pitchforks and go after McDonnell, they should know that Deeds’ ad is not honest.
The rate increase took place during McDonnell’s partial term as attorney general. Appalachian went before the State Corporation Commission and asked for a rate increase. McDonnell’s job, under state law, was to represent consumers during that process, and he appeared to do it well. Appalachian’s original request was hundreds of millions more than what it eventually received.
Not that the decision was ultimately McDonnell’s. That responsibility fell to the SCC. The attorney general listened to consumers, negotiated with the company and presented facts to the SCC. He did not have the final say, though one would be hard pressed to understand that based only on Deeds’ ad.
The greatest deception in Deeds’ ad, though, is the one with the grain of truth. It reports that McDonnell said Appalachian was “entitled” to receive its rate increase, as if that were a bad thing. He probably did say it, but only because it was true. There was no sinister conspiracy in which McDonnell placed corporate greed ahead of consumer concerns.
Appalachian was entitled to that increase thanks to legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2007. It gave state regulators the authority to adjust utility rates every two years so they could keep up with other utilities in the Southeast.
The ironic thing is that Sen. Deeds voted for that bill. He helped create the regulatory framework that entitled Appalachian to its increase and now criticizes his opponent for enforcing that law.
In fairness, the attorney general’s office under McDonnell had a hand in shaping the legislation, too, but to pretend that McDonnell did anything but represent consumers and uphold the law is deceptive. Deeds should be ashamed.