Phil Ammann
Another Florida Tea Party chapter has rejected the proposed solar energy constitutional amendment.
On Thursday, Tea Party Manatee unanimously voted against the initiative put forward by Floridians for Solar Choice for the 2016 ballot. The vote came after presentations from lobbyist Danielle Alexandre and Libertarian Adrian Wyllie supporting the amendment, and Tampa 912 Project board member Karen Jaroch and Heartland Institute senior fellow James Taylor in opposition.
The vote – a third rejection of the solar proposal by local Tea Party groups — illustrates the widening rift between conservative groups over the amendment.
First reported by H. Sterling Burnett for Heartland.org, Tea Party Manatee joined other Florida chapters that see the change as giving exclusive rights to the solar power industry for generating electricity from rooftop and other small-production solar equipment. That energy could then be sold to nearby property owners.
Supporters of the amendment have been meeting with Tea Party and libertarian groups, attempting to sway opinion by saying the measure would bolster free markets with a new electricity marketplace, one that would challenge existing utility monopolies.
Critics counter the free market argument with concerns that the amendment would prohibit all power generation except solar – an expensive and subsidized power source – leading to a deeply politically connected solar industry monopoly.
“This is the third time I have had the privilege of participating in a Tea Party or 912 Project point-counterpoint discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment,” Taylor told Burnett after the Manatee vote. “At the end of each meeting, the Tea Party and 912 Project members voted unanimously to oppose the amendment. This is in stark contrast to the liberal mainstream media’s fictitious narrative that Tea Party groups throughout Florida are joining forces with environmental activists to support the proposed amendment.”
Taylor added, “Perhaps someday the solar power industry will find a single Tea Party member somewhere in the state who supports the proposed amendment.
“That day, however, has yet to come.”
2 comments
No Way
July 22, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Pretty slanted article…. It appears the amendment is well supported by the Right!
Supporters
Officials
Rep. Dwight Dudley (D-68)
Organizations
Alex Snitker, Vice President of the Libertarian Party of Florida, discussing the initiative.
Christian Coalition of America[6]
Conservatives for Energy Freedom
Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy
Florida Retail Federation
Florida Solar Energy Industries Association
Libertarian Party of Florida
Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida
Republican Liberty Caucus of Tampa Bay
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
WTEC
Clean Water Action
IDEAS
Sierra Club Florida
The Tea Party Network
Clean Water Action[7]
Evangelical Environmental Network
Greenpeace USA
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Solar Energy Industries Association[8]
Florida League of Women Voters[9]
Danielle Alexandre
July 22, 2015 at 5:05 pm
I was in no way there to support the ballot initiative. I was there to give comment on my analysis of the wording of the ballot initiative and told the group several times that I did not support or oppose the initiative. The person who was scheduled to be there in favor of the initiative did not show up for the meeting.
Adrian Wyllie (who does support the amendment) gave a 2-minute speech on why he supported the amendment as there was no one there to actually support it. He was not at anytime a part of the panel or did he debate any part of the issue.
The Liberty First Network does not support or oppose ballot initiatives but does provide some independent reviews of ballot initiative wording.
I was very specific to the entire group that ballot initiatives should be looked at with careful discernment and every person in the room should make their own choice on whether they believed this had earned their support and vote.
Also, the “poll” at the end was insisted on by Mr. Taylor after several members raised concerns that since no one was their in support of the amendment that it would not be a fair poll. The poll was taken and the question was asked who supported it, which received zero votes. The question was then asked who opposed it and half of the room said “aye” while the other half (as it appeared to me from the front of the room) did not vote at all.
I would appreciate a correction on my role in this event immediately.
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