Press Release
From the Office of
State Representative
Gale D. Candaras

June 24, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Candace Ouillette Gaumond @ 413.599.4785

CANDARAS BRINGS MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATIVE JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND LABOR TO WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Springfield – State Representative Gale D. Candaras (D-Wilbraham) announced today that the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor will be holding a public on July 10, 2003, from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm at Western New England College School of Law’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs in Room B of the S. Prestley Blake Law Center. The Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor will have an open public discussion and listen to public opinion regarding the relegation of unit pricing and consumer products during the July 10th public hearing at Western New England College School of Law’s Institute. The event is open to the public.

On April 12th, the Committees will be discussing and gathering public opinion on this issue from residents of western Massachusetts.

“Today, as a result of the Electric Restructuring Act of 1997, the Commonwealth’s electric ratepayers have saved over $1.7 billion, the state’s generation capacity is higher than ever, and programs, such as those to promote energy efficiency and those that provide rate relief to low income consumers, have proven very successful. But, although our restructuring effort has achieved a great measure of success, we must remain vigilant to ensure that we continue to build upon that success and remain a model for the rest of the nation. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels for much work remains to ensure a seamless transition upon the completion of standard offer service. Competition among suppliers is not quite at the level that we would like to see it and although our generation capacity has increased we have to address transmission issues to ensure that we are able to reliably and efficiently deliver power to consumers. To this end, we have arranged a series of forums on the status of restructuring and the complicated issues that lay ahead. The forum to be held in Springfield will provide an opportunity for government, private industry and the general public to combine their resources and ingenuity in an effort to ensure the successful completion of electric restructuring in the Commonwealth,” said Chairman Daniel E. Bosley (D-North Adams) of the House Committee on Government Regulations.

State Representative Gale D. Candaras (D-Wilbraham) was instrumental in coordinating the event at the Western New England College School of Law’s Institute. “I am pleased that the Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor will be holding a hearing at the Law School on July 10th,”said Candaras. “The effects of electric restructuring have impacted every citizen in the Commonwealth. This upcoming hearing will be an opportunity for all western Massachusetts residents to express their opinions on retail industries’ pricing techniques. I wish to thank Chairs, Representative Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport) and Senator John A. Hart, Jr. (D-Boston) for bringing the Committee here. As Speaker of the House Thomas M. Finneran has noted, the Legislature needs to be visible in all parts of the Commonwealth,” Candaras concluded.

Western New England College School of Law’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs was established in the spring of 2000. Its purpose was to provide opportunities to its students to participate in activities relating to the legislative process. One of the Institute’s goals was to bring live action policy making to Western Massachusetts by hosting Legislative Committee hearings.

“One of the goals of the Legislative Institute is to bring committees of the General Court here to Western Massachusetts,” stated Professor Art Wolf, Director of the School of Law’s Institute for Legislative and Governmental Affairs. “Holding legislative hearings in Springfield gives our students and other residents of the four counties in Western Massachusetts the opportunity to observe the workings of our Legislature and to participate as witnesses in the hearings. The presence of the Committees also gives area voters and residents, together with our students, the chance to meet and speak with members of the Legislature,” Director Wolf observed.

For further information regarding the Legislative Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor’s upcoming public hearing at Western New England College School of Law’s Institute of Legislative and Governmental Affairs please contact the office of State Representative Gale D. Candaras’s. The telephone number is (413) 599-4785.