Retzke Issues Statement on Utility Executive Pay and Rising Costs for Ohio Families

Sandusky, Ohio — Ohio House District 89 candidate, Easton Retzke, is calling for stronger oversight and accountability from utility companies following new reports highlighting soaring executive compensation alongside rising costs for consumers.

As Ohio families continue to face higher monthly electric bills and growing financial pressure, recent data shows a widening gap between what ratepayers are paying and how utility companies are prioritizing spending. Retzke emphasized that utilities, which operate as regulated monopolies, have a responsibility to serve the public interest first.

Retzke released the following statement:

Utilities are supposed to serve the public, not squeeze it. In 2025, American Electric Power paid its CEO Bill Fehrman about 36.6 million dollars, more than any other utility CEO in the country. That is not just a big number, it shows how out of touch things have become. While families across Ohio are dealing with rising electric bills, shutoff threats, and tighter household budgets, the people at the top are seeing massive compensation packages driven largely by stock awards.

 

At the same time, we have seen clean energy goals scaled back and long term investments that could lower costs and improve reliability put on the back burner. When those decisions happen alongside rate increases, it raises serious questions about priorities. If it takes the average Ohio worker centuries to earn what one executive makes in a single year, something in the system is clearly out of balance.

 

We need stronger oversight, real transparency in how rates are set, and a commitment to putting ratepayers first. Utilities should be focused on delivering reliable, affordable energy and planning for the future, not maximizing executive pay while everyday people struggle to keep the lights on.

Retzke noted that while utilities are guaranteed a return on investment through rate structures approved by regulators, that system must come with meaningful safeguards to ensure fairness for consumers. He pointed to the need for increased transparency in how rates are proposed and approved, as well as closer scrutiny of executive compensation when companies seek to raise prices.

“People expect the lights to stay on and their bills to be manageable. What they do not expect is to see record executive pay at the same time they are being asked to pay more,” Retzke said. “We need to restore balance and make sure the system is working for the people who rely on it.”

Retzke’s campaign for Ohio House District 89 is focused on lowering costs for working families, expanding economic opportunity, and ensuring that essential services like energy remain affordable, reliable, and accountable to the public.

Graph & Data sourced from:https://energyandpolicy.org/utility-ceo-pay-2025/