By A.G. Gancarski
July 29, 2019
The petition process for the 2020 ballot continues apace, with an “energy choice” amendment showing enough momentum to perhaps meet the signature threshold.
A full 24 Florida members of Congress, however, vigorously oppose the measure, as they wrote in a letter to Attorney General Ashley Moody Friday.
The group of 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans assert that the proposed amendment, which would supposedly create a competitive market in the traditionally monopolistic world of utilities, would have bad effects.
Among them: dismantling the power grid; threatening “complete energy deregulation”; higher rates and worse reliability.
“We cannot allow Florida’s energy market to be disrupted by special interests,” the signatories contended.
Republicans signing onto the letter: U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Mike Waltz, Ted Yoho, John Rutherford; Vern Buchanan; Mario Diaz-Balart; Neal Dunn; Brian Mast; Francis Rooney; Greg Steube; Daniel Webster; and Bill Posey.
Democratic signatories: U.S. Rep. Al Lawson; Frederica Wilson; Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Donna Shalala; Stephanie Murphy; Debbie Murcasel-Powell; Lois Frankel; Alcee Hastings; Val Demings; Ted Deutch; Charlie Crist; and Darren Soto.
Opposition is fierce from the political establishment: business groups, the Urban League, the League of Cities and AG Moody oppose the ballot measure.
Read the full article on Florida Politics