I agree with the Plain Dealer that Ohioans should hold on to their wallets if Republicans succeed in carrying out an unwarranted attack on the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel. The watchdog agency should be commended for protecting consumers, not muzzled and defunded.
Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander leads an agency that is a fierce advocate for Ohio’s utility customers. Since 1976, the agency has saved Ohioans more than $10 billion on their gas, electric, telephone and water bills
It doesn’t make sense to slash the Consumers’ Counsel’s budget by 51 percent when the agency is funded by fees on the utility companies, not tax dollars. And I don’t understand why Republicans want to impose a gag order to bar the Consumers’ Counsel from speaking out if natural-gas deregulation leads to higher prices. These issues must be addressed by the Ohio Senate.
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I will be fighting to restore funding to the Consumers’ Counsel. I urge every Ohioan who supports lower utility bills to do the same.