If ComEd gets its wish, customers could be paying more for power pretty soon. Crain's is reporting that the company announced plans to ask the Illinois Commerce Commission for the hike at an investors conference in New York on February third. The request will likely be made in the second or third quarter of this year. more ›

Starting next month, Chicago and North Shore gas customers will see a higher home heating bill after the Illinois Commerce Commission approved a rate increase for Peoples Energy and North Shore Gas. Estimates indicate that Peoples Energy customers will pay close to $4 more a month, equaling $48 more a year. North suburban residents will pay $66 more a year. According to Crain’s, Peoples will receive a nearly $70 million rate hike, which is below the $122 million Peoples asked for but slightly above the $66 million recommended by an administrative judge for the commission. more ›

So as we stare down higher property tax bills and a potential transit fare hike, here's more good news: the parking meter rates are going up, too. As The Parking Ticket Geek points out, when the City Council passed that controversial parking meter lease that Mayor Daley engineered, it also included a yearly increase in rates. These annual rate increases will continue through 2013. $1/hour rates will go up to $1.50, $2/hr up to $2.50, and $3.50/hr up to $4.25. The increases hit January 1, 2010. more ›