Can We Talk?



He Says She Says: Councilpersons Kenney and Tasco. photo: Shoshanna Wiesner

City Councilman James Kenney has made no secret of the fact that he believes the Philadelphia Gas Commission is way out of line to request a 30 percent rate hike, in light of the fact that the utility is mired in problems.

But it seems that one of Kenney’s colleagues believes he is way out of line to request council hearings on PGW.

Councilwoman Marian Tasco also happens to chair the gas commission. She says she wishes Kenney had consulted her before introducing a bill last week calling for hearings on the beleaguered gas company.

The utility is saddled with nearly $1 billion in debt. Its top executives were caught abusing their expense accounts, and an expensive computerized billing system purchased last year is charging some customers incorrectly — or not billing them at all.

When mistakes are made, someone’s got to pay. And PGW apparently thinks that "someone" is its customers. If PGW’s proposed rate increase is approved, the average customer will pay $267 more next year for gas.

When requesting that council’s Public Property Committee hold hearings, Kenney said it is "outrageous" for PGW executives to expect ratepayers to "bear the cost of their multi-million dollar corporate patronage mill operation."

Kenney bases this allegation on the fact that the gas company has awarded $8 million in contracts to the same law firms that collectively contributed about $1.7 million to former Mayor Ed Rendell and Mayor John Street over the past three years.

But if the purpose of City Council hearings is to look into this particular matter, Tasco says, "The gas commission is constantly looking into the contracting out of legal services."

If Kenney had talked it over with her first, Tasco says, perhaps he would determine that council hearings are not necessary.

"The rate hike and other matters have already been discussed publicly during gas commission hearings," she says.

However, it seems unlikely that all the talking in the world could dissuade a man who has these words for PGW. "Don’t come asking for a 30 percent rate increase until you tell us how you’re going to clean house and get your shop in order."

—Gwen Shaffer