A new commentary published on Maryland Matters argues that customers should not be obligated to subsidize the political influence spending of their utilities. The article highlights the growing trend of utilities using ratepayer funds to support their lobbying efforts, an issue that has attracted attention in Maryland and across the country.
The commentary emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in the relationship between utilities and their customers. It suggests that allowing utilities to pass on the costs of political influence spending to ratepayers is unfair and undermines the principles of democracy. Instead, the author proposes that utilities should be required to use shareholder funds for these purposes, rather than forcing customers to foot the bill.
The article notes that several states have already taken steps to address this issue, with some requiring utilities to disclose their political spending and others prohibiting the use of ratepayer funds for lobbying. The author encourages Maryland to follow suit and implement similar regulations to protect consumers from being unfairly burdened by the political activities of utilities.
Overall, the commentary calls for greater oversight and accountability in the relationship between utilities and ratepayers to ensure that customers are not unwittingly supporting political influence spending. By advocating for reforms in this area, the author believes that Maryland can take an important step towards promoting fairness and transparency in the energy sector.
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