[LFC Comments:  Thanks to the patriots at Auburntownship.org for this article.  We agree with the editor’s note below, but we would add one additional item.  The deregulation of the energy business by the federal government create one company to handle the generation side of the business and another to handle the distribution side.

The distribution side makes a boatload of profits and pays their executives 7 figure incomes, but the generation side, because of all the government regulations, loses money, and the taxpayer must subsidize it so that it can remain in business.  Perhaps we should look into combining both sides of the business again.]

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https://www.auburntownship.org/COMMENTARY2/2020_July_Dec_default.html#HOUSE_BILL_6_WILL_LOWER_YOUR_ELECTRIC_BILL

Republished from May 29, 2019;  Friday, July 24, 2020
By Nino Vitale, State Representative (R-Urbana)

EDITORS NOTE: Under the guise of saving Ohioans $8-$10 a month he terminated a $340 million dollar program and replaced it with a $1 billion dollar program. What is wrong with this math? Will the math be any better this next time around on the replacement HB6?

    There’s no doubt you’ve heard a lot of discussion and arguments about what this bill actually does. As the chairman of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I listened to over 150 hours of testimony on HB 6. Additionally, I have invested almost 200 hours in studying the energy markets and how they work. One thing I can assure you of, is that it is complicated. Here are the facts.

Ten years ago, the Ohio legislature passed a piece of legislation that placed mandatory fees on all of our electric bills. These programs currently add, on average, $4.68 to every Ohioans’ electric bill. These fees are scheduled to double in just 2 years to $8 to $10 per month, per bill. HB 6 will end the two programs that authorize these fees, the Renewable Portfolio Standard mandate and the Energy Efficiency Program mandate and replace them with a less expensive program that will place a $1 fee on our electric bills. The $1 fee is capped and cannot change. In 6 years, the program will expire completely, ending all state subsidies in the energy sector.

While I would like to end all subsidies, in government, compromises have to be made in order to get things passed. Consequently, this is a step-down compromise to final elimination. Many of us have worked extremely hard over the past 10 years to finally bring these programs to an end and lower your rates.

Why are you hearing so much back and forth on this bill? The truth is, many do not appreciate their cash cows being taken away, and when you terminate government programs that total some $340 million dollars, there will be opposition. There are some making big money on these programs and they want them to stay. House Bill 6 will gradually reduce all the fees and in six years, end them all, saving Ohioans as much as $8 to $10 a month. That means we all get a $120 pay raise instead of indefinitely paying more mandatory, uncapped fees on programs that aren’t doing what they say they are doing.

An additional item in the bill is a provision where township citizens can vote to determine if they wish or do not wish to have 600-foot industrial wind turbines built in their communities. Currently, the entire decision-making process is done in Columbus and the local community has no say. I support local control, giving citizens the right to vote, and allowing Ohioans a say in what happens in their communities.

Reducing government was one of the reasons that I went to Columbus and this chance to repeal $340 million in government mandates in 6 years is a tremendous opportunity. Opportunities to cut government do not come along often and that’s why there was no question in my mind when House Bill 6 came to the floor.

I voted yes on HB 6 to reduce your electric bill, to eliminate all of these state mandatory fees, and to ensure that you always have a voice in our community.

State Rep. Nino Vitale

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Categories: Uncategorized

Tags: OH Corruption