From WSIL TV:

Questions Over Electric Rate Freeze Continue
BY: STACI BUNTON

Southern Illinois--Questions are surfacing regarding whether Illinois power companies are trying to buy their way out of a rate freeze.

Since September when electric companies announced rate increases by as much as 50 percent large amounts of money have poured into campaign accounts.

State records show Ameren and ComEd together have contributed more than 200 thousand dollars to politicians.

A bulk of the money has been given to the General Assembly's four leaders.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, an outspoken critic of rate hikes has received 32-thousand.
Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson got 31-thousand in contributions to accounts he controls.

An Ameren spokesperson says corporations often give money to political campaigns but with so much money changing hands people are questioning how legislators on the receiving end will handle the situation.

January 1st, many homeowners will be forced to pay more for electricity if a rate freeze is dropped.

While Republican Candidate for Governor Judy Barr Topinka agrees with Governor Blagojevich, that the freeze on rates must be reinstated. She says she doesn't agree with the way he's handled the situation, criticizing the governor for not calling a special session on the issue yet. “Yes we need a special session and yes we need to probably discuss it maybe one year of probably a freeze and in that one more year we take this whole issue back to the drawing boards and come up with something that's more fair." Said Topinka.

SIU political professor Dr. John Jackson says the Governor's action to wait until votes are there before calling a special session isn’t unusual. "Usually these things are put off until after election and I would assume it's something to put off until after elections."

Dr. Jackson has his own idea of what will happen before the November elections. "I think there will probably be a special session, I think they'll take it up whether they take it up is more problematic I would guess there would be a freeze, I guess the question is how long the freeze will be." Said Jackson.

Dr. Jackson says the big issue remains how lawmakers, once in session will deal with electric rates. "Any governor can only go so far he or she can't make a law alone they have to have the general assembly." Said Jackson.

And with electric companies contributing money to political campaigns, Dr. Jackson says this “could” play a role in the decision making process. "The governor should look after the public, any president should look after the public but they too have taken enormous contributions." Said Jackson.

We contacted an Ameren spokesperson to talk about the financial contributions. “Most corporations give money to politicians so Ameren doing so is no different than any other large corporation in the state of Illinois." --Ameren

Ameren claims a continued rate freeze could send the company into financial turmoil.
Dr. Jackson says he questions that statement.

Ameren suggested, if not allowed to increase rates, 700 jobs would be cut.
ComEd raised the specter of rolling brownouts and slower repair times.