.jpg)
Jan. 2, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: Those that have listened to the goings-on in Richmond over the past few years have heard all the discussions of the Virginia Clean Economy Act and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Perhaps you’ve agreed with these initiatives, perhaps not. Either way, legislation has consequences, but unless you check your electricity bill, you might never notice.
When I check mine, I find five charges for clean energy, RGGI, coal-ash closure, renewable energy, and off-shore wind. These charges were not there three years ago and now amount to a 12% increase in my electrical bill.
Are these charges warranted? Are these programs necessary? Maybe. Maybe not, but the thing that is certain is that the politicians that pass these issues never seem to discuss that the real moms and real dads working real jobs are going to have to pay real money for the whims of politicians, whether they want to or not.
As our legislative session opens, pay attention to how our politicians always seem to leave out the discussions of what the program is going to cost the folks that actually go to work and pay the bills. If your favorite politician promoting your favorite program isn’t showing us the bill, demand to see it.
And while we are at it, any politician that supported providing taxpayer provided funding in any way, shape, or form, for a Northern Virginia professional sports stadium is not worthy of the support of working folks.
This isn’t a Democrat or Republican thing; it’s a politician thing. Every one of them has figured out how to give our tax dollars to the businesses they support, and those businesses in turn support them. Perhaps we should demand restraint and inaction from politicians, because their help is costing us a lot of money. STEVE HART Kerrs Creek
