New Callahan Ad Holds Dent Accountable for Voting for Lehigh Valley Energy Tax

Dent took over a quarter million dollars from Utilities Industry after voting for Deregulation which  resulted in 30% average increase in electric bills … and he said he’d do it all over again

BETHLEHEM, PA. – Today Mayor John Callahan released a new ad highlighting Congressman Dent’s vote in the Pennsylvania State House to deregulate the utility industry. Dent’s vote allowed utility companies to raise electric rates by 30% in January 2010.  The result of that increase? Families pay more while PPL profits and Dent takes more utility money.

While this Lehigh Valley energy tax has been a disaster for families, it’s been a boon to Dent and utility companies. Just months after the hike, PPL reported an $85 million profit and its CEO is taking home more than $7 million a year.

Meanwhile PPL and its executives have rewarded Charlie for his vote.  In total, PPL’s CEO and his wife have given $13,600 to Congressman Dent’s campaign, and they’re not alone.  All told Dent has received over $250,000 from the utility special interests.

Amazingly when asked if he’d vote to raise our electric bills 30% again, Charlie has repeatedly said yes – then again he has more than two hundred fifty thousand reasons to stand by the rate hike.

“It’s pretty simple, Congressman Dent voted to allow utility companies to raise your electric rates by 30% and the industry has given him over a quarter million dollars,” said Justin Schall Callahan for Congress Campaign Manager. “While PPL reported record profits, multimillion dollar CEO payouts and job cuts, Congressman Dent took over a quarter million dollars from the utility special interests. Congressman Dent is putting corporate profits and corporate CEOs before the families in the Valley.”

You can watch the ad by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRijxBr6RAs

Backup

Dent voted to deregulate the utility industry.
[HB 1509, 11/25/96; Pennsylvania House Journal, Page 2568]

PPL increased rates by an average of 30% in January 2010.
http://articles.mcall.com/2010-06-22/news/mc-puc-ppl-hearing-20100621_1_rate-hike-ppl-electric-utilities-increase

PPL reported an $85 million profit in its second quarter.
http://articles.mcall.com/2010-08-05/business/mc-allentown-ppl-earns-20100805_1_earnings-from-ongoing-operations-ppl-electric-utilities-kentucky-utilities

PPL CEO James Miller received a 37% raise to an annual salary of $7.7 million while cutting 200 jobs.
http://articles.mcall.com/2010-09-25/news/mc-sidebar-allentown-executive-pay-2020100925_1_compensation-committee-executive-compensation-ppl-spokesman-george-biechler

PPL CEO James Miller and his wife have given Congressman Dent at least $13,600. Dent has received over a quarter million from the Utility Company special interests.

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