Bridgeport, CT – Yesterday, Mayor Ganim issued a statement to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, regarding the recent rate increase made by the Southern Connecticut Gas Company:

“This letter represents my official OBJECTION as Mayor of Connecticut's most populous municipality to the recently filed rate increase application by Southern Connecticut Gas Company (SCG) to the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). This proposed 9% increase would directly and severely impact our Bridgeport residents by creating an 11 % increase in their monthly bill. Moreover, it would further financially burden my constituents indirectly due to the increased costs to be incurred by the City for fuel for its City Hall buildings, police stations, fire houses, sewage treatment plants, public schools, etc.

Ratepayers, in Bridgeport, have had to manage the financial strains of paying a substantial amount each month to SCG for current rates that already are excessive for the average household in the city. Therefore, I am strongly urging PURA to reject this request and to leave our residents with peace of mind knowing that their rates will not become even more burdensome and even unaffordable for some of our residents.

Bridgeport has an extremely hardworking and highly diverse population, which also is amongst the State's poorest and thus most vulnerable to assuming this threatened additional financial burden.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.”