A few months ago, Gov. Rauner signed a horrible bill—an update to the Water Privatization Act. The bill allows the state’s biggest private water companies to buy up municipal water systems and raise rates for customers across Illinois. Well, there’s an exciting development: Due to a legal technicality, the General Assembly…...
$125+ million in consumer savings in 2018–$20+ billion total!
CUB’s team helped save Illinois consumers more than $125 million in 2018, adding to the $20 billion in savings since the consumer watchdog opened its doors 35 years ago. “We thank Illinois consumers for their generous support,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. “CUB members are the heroes in this…...
Update: Defend net neutrality
Net Neutrality Update: Take action to fight a White House attack on the nation’s strongest internet consumer protections. Background: Things looked pretty bleak last year after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under new Chairman Ajit Pai, killed the internet consumer protections called “net neutrality.” But enough people care about this issue—polls show an…...
The heating-affordability crisis
By Bryan McDaniel CUB’s Director of Governmental Affairs CUB has been working with other consumer advocates to reform the Peoples Gas pipeline-replacement program–the utility’s mismanaged project that threatens to spark what Crain’s Chicago Business called a “heating-affordability crisis.” Last week I came face-to-face with the heating-affordability crisis. I met with…...
Q&A on AT&T ending the Lifeline discount for landline customers
CUB has been getting calls from AT&T customers concerned about a letter they received from the company announcing the end of a low-income discount on landline service. Read CUB’s Q & A. What happened? In September, certain AT&T landline customers received a letter from the company with the headline: “Your…...
Environmental groups, state leaders rally against bailout of coal plants
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced plans to replace the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) plan. CUB argues the new plan is a bailout for failing coal-fired power plants and threatens to raise our electric bills. Today, Chicago hosted the only hearings in which the…...
CUB General Counsel Report by Julie Soderna
CUB Executive Director David Kolata has asked me to prepare a General Counsel’s Report to outline for our most generous supporters the work we’ve been doing in 2018: Senior Attorney Kelly Turner and I are pleased that so far this year we’ve helped cut Nicor’s proposed rate hike by $115 million and…...
