Mike Fasano Urges a NO Vote on Amendment One

There is much to consider this election season. Many of you have already voted early or by mail but if you haven’t yet voted, please consider voting No on Amendment 1.

You have a rare opportunity to send a message to Duke Energy and the other big monopoly utility companies in our state. They are trying to pull a fast one on you. The Palm Beach Post called it a “con”. The Tampa Bay Times called it a “solar sham”. I call it shameful that they would use the profits they make off you to mislead voters into thinking they are voting for something to promote solar energy when in fact, it would do just the opposite.

I am proud to be Pasco County’s tax collector now but I served in the Florida Legislature for 19 years. I saw how the power companies manipulated the system to their benefit and I worked diligently to protect consumers against their constant greediness. I fought Duke Energy when they charged people for power plants that won’t get built. Their bad business decisions have cost our community billions of dollars.

Even with all that history, I am shocked at how low they will go to hang on to their monopoly in order to continue to hold customers captive. The costs for solar power have come down dramatically in the last few years. It’s a lot like computers, cell phones and televisions. The prices are dropping. With financing, more and more people can take advantage of solar power and dramatically reduce their power bills by generating energy on your own roof. Naturally, the power companies don’t want to sell you less energy.

So don’t be fooled when you vote. Amendment 1 was designed to mislead and I am urging you to Vote No.

Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente labeled Amendment 1 a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” arguing the amendment should not be placed on the ballot because it is misleading. She said, “Let pro-solar energy consumers beware. It is masquerading as a pro-solar energy initiative.”

Just recently, one of the staff of a Tallahassee think tank funded by monopoly utilities was caught on tape speaking at a conference boasting how “the utility industry is using the amendment to deceive the public into thinking it is a pro-solar initiative.” He said the amendment was a savvy maneuver that would negate anything pro-solar interests would try to do later.

Amendment 1 is designed to block the sale of solar panels to Florida homeowners and small businesses, even though the wording of the ballot initiative sound like it will promote solar.

There have been more than 30 editorials from major newspapers across the state opposing Amendment 1. Almost 200 organizations from across the political spectrum have come out in opposition. In fact, Floridians for Solar Choice is a coalition so diverse that it includes the Christian Coalition and the Everglades Coalition. The Tea Party Network has joined with the Florida AFL-CIO and you don’t see that very often. Even the most prominent consumer protection organization in the country, Consumer Report’s advocacy arm, Consumer Union has endorsed the No on 1 campaign.

Take the time to tell your friends and family because when you read the amendment, it sounds like it would promote solar and protect consumers but it will do nothing of the sort. Vote No on 1 to protect your pocketbook from power companies like Duke Energy.

Yours truly,

Mike Fasano, Tax Collector for Pasco County