Urgent Action Alerts
Help Pass AB 689 - the CUB Funding Bill
Please take action today to help pass AB 689 which would provide CUB with $300,000 annually.
Many other states have state-funded agencies representing the interests of utility customers. The agencies in Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio have between 22 and 74 staff - composed of attorneys, analysts, customer service specialists and support staff. Their annual budgets range from $3 million to over $8 million, paid for with fees collected from utilities.
In contrast, Wisconsin relies on CUB to represent ratepayers. Originally created in 1979 by an act of legislation, then reorganized as an independent nonprofit in 1986, CUB is supported by grants, a state-wide membership and intervenor compensation funds. CUB has three full-time staff and an annual budget of less than $900,000.
AB 689 would increase the amount of the intervenor compensation fund from $750,000 to $1,050,000 and require the increase ($300,000) be granted to an organization "that has a history of advocating on behalf of residential ratepayers for affordable rates." CUB is the only organization that regularly participates in proceedings at the Public Service Commission (PSC) on behalf of Wisconsin residential ratepayers.
Without CUB, the interests of Wisconsin's 5.5 million residents will not be represented at the PSC, and residential ratepayers would pay much higher rates for electricity and natural gas.
Your support today for AB 689 will help CUB continue to fight for fair utility rates and reliable service.
The Wisconsin state legislature's Joint Finance Committee and the state Assembly have passed AB 689 to increase the amount of intervenor compensation available for CUB to fight in rate cases.
Your support today will help pass this bill into law and permit CUB to continue its work to fight on behalf of residential ratepayers for fair and reasonable utility rates.
Please call your state senator and urge them to support AB 689 - the CUB Funding Bill.
Call the toll-free Legislative hotline today: 1-800-362-9472
(To find your state senator on line, go to http://www.legis.state.wi.us)
Please call Governor Doyle and let him know that you support AB 689 - the CUB Funding Bill.
Call Governor Jim Doyle: 1-608-266-1212
Let your voice be heard!
Together, we can protect our environment and pocketbooks.
