Colburn would likely vote against deregulation today

ANNAPOLIS- Sen. Richard Colburn (R-Cambridge) would likely have voted against deregulating the electricity industry in 1999 “knowing what he knows now,” according to Jessica Stewart, the senator’s chief of staff.

Colburn, who voted for the 1999 bill, has received $7,615 in campaign contributions from the utility industry, the eighth highest among members of the current General Assembly, since deregulation, according to a report conducted by Progressive Maryland and Common Cause Maryland.

The senator chose not to comment when asked if the contributions created the appearance of impropriety or undue influence, as members of Progressive Maryland and Common Cause suggested.

Stewart said that if Colburn knew that electric rates would eventually be unfrozen, he “probably wouldn’t have voted” in favor of deregulation.

Colburn, however, said “deregulation did not cause” electric rates to rise, putting the blame on the unfrozen rates instead.

According to the Progressive/Common Cause report, “Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), which serves more than half of Maryland’s 2.08 million households, received a windfall of $1.15 billion as its customers saw their annual utility rates rise by an average of $743 per household.”

The report also said an expected BGE rate increase planned for this June would bring the total increase to 85% since deregulation.

“Legislators froze rates for seven years,” Stewart said, while emphasizing that rates increased after being unfrozen.

Pointing to the struggling national economy, Stewart also said, “It was a different economy back (in 1999).”

Colburn was first elected to the state Senate in 1994 representing District 37, which covers Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, and Wicomico counties. He has been subsequently reelected three times.

In 2006, his last campaign, Colburn defeated Democratic challenger Hilary Spence by 17 points.

Previously, Colburn served in the House of Delegates from 1983-1991.