Well the House DFL is leaving little to the imagination of what it looks like inside the mind of a utopian. That is, what does the agenda look like from someone who has no basis of using practical real world cause and effect and instead relies entirely on feelings to govern.
Its always a good indicator that a policy is flawed when, in order to get enough support to pass legislation, you have to insert exclusions for special interests who would be harmed upon implementation…. (emphasis mine)
The Minnesota House and Senate have agreed to an energy bill that includes a 1.5 percent solar energy standard for investor-owned utilities.
[...]
The conference committee working out differences between the two bills decided on a 1.5 percent solar energy standard that will take effect sooner. Investor-owned utilities, such as Xcel Energy, must meet the standard by the end of 2020. Iron mining facilities and paper mills are exempt, as are electricity co-ops and municipal utilities.
Here’s a response from House Republicans on the issue.
St. Paul- Reps. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) and Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) issued the following statements upon passage of the conference committee report for the Jobs, Commerce, Housing, and Energy Omnibus bill. HF 729 passed by a vote of 73-59 and the conference committee report now heads to the Senate for final passage.
“I was disappointed to find excessive wasteful spending for inefficient government programs in this bill which is inaccurately titled a ‘jobs’ bill. HF 729 is a hodgepodge of state programs and initiatives that will spend millions in taxpayer dollars and only kill jobs or drive them elsewhere through higher taxes, fees and energy rates. The special interests that benefit from this bill will result in others losing out, including a special group of employees that will receive much higher unemployment benefits than the average Minnesotan,” said Rep. O’Driscoll.
“Democrats passed energy mandates tonight that will result in higher energy costs for hardworking Minnesotans. Democrats are forcing consumers to use energy that nobody wants, everyone will pay for, and no one can afford,” added Rep. Garofalo.
Meanwhile, on the real energy crisis that affects Minnesotans TODAY….
Prices around the metro and across Minnesota jumped well above $4 a gallon Wednesday. Prices at some stations around the metro were listed at $4.19 a gallon, while other stations were reported to be slightly higher.
According to AAA, the highest average price on record for the state is $3.98, that was in 2008. Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Michigan, Illinois and the West Coast are holding the highest gas prices in the country right now.
AAA says higher crude oil prices are partly to blame for the price hike, but refinery maintenance both planned and unplanned in the Midwest and West Coast caused those prices to go up.
AAA says we might not get relief at the pump until July 4.
This is not on the list of things the DFL is worried about. In fact, they are proposing a gas tax increase as well as driving related fee increases to pad their special interest slush funds and bailout packages.
Is this what you voted for Minnesota?