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August 31, 2000 <br /> <br /> A work session meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, was <br />held to discuss electrical deregulation on August 31, 2000, in the Administrative <br />Conference Room of the Municipal Building, beginning at 10:13 A. M., with Mayor Mark <br />Crabtree presiding. Council Members present included: Mark A. Crabtree, Mayor; M. <br />Gene Teague, Vice Mayor; and Council Members Bruce H. T. Dallas, J. Ronald Ferrili, <br />and Terry L. Roop. <br /> <br /> City Manager Earl B. Reynolds, Jr., introduced Duane Dahlquist, Executive <br />Director of the Blue Ridge Power Association, and Carter Glass, an attorney with Mays <br />& Valentine. <br /> <br /> Mr. Glass stated, "The previous concept of no competition for power, 'must :buy <br />local', is about to change. The new program will begin January 1, 2002. The State <br />Corporation Commission (SCC) will phase in the ability for consumers to buy from <br />whomever. The General Assembly is not changing semi-monopolies. There are <br />currently four taxes, two of which are State and two of which are local options. The City <br />and commercial companies stand to lose some money. There will be a shift of taxation <br />from the company to the consumer. Paying by percentage used is being replaced with <br />paying by unit used." <br /> <br /> Mr. Glass added, "We'll discuss gas first. Most municipalities have the optional <br />local consumer tax. Martinsville has it own electricity but not own gas. The tax: will <br />change from percentage to units of gas used. The deadline to change over is October <br />31, 2000, but Martinsville doesn't have to. Even if you wanted to, it would have to be a <br />zero tax because the General Assembly didn't want jacking of rates. My <br />recommendation would be to not consider it. The law is uncertain; if you don't, the <br /> <br /> <br />