Clemons’ local bill scheduled to go to the floor of the House on Thursday
April 24, 2023
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Rep. Chuck Clemons’ local bill that would establish a governor-appointed board for Gainesville Regional Utilities is on the Special Order Calendar for the full House on Thursday, April 27.
If the bill passes on second reading on Thursday, it could possibly be heard again the same day for a third reading vote; if not, it will be heard on Friday for a third reading vote. If it passes, it will go to the Senate, where it will likely be voted on in a batch of local bills.
So close to being free of the city’s control of GRU. rates my not drop and that’s ok at least my money will not being to fund their left wing idiotic ideology. Will finally have representation on the board.
Rates may not drop but some of the fees may drop which would lower bills. Beware of those who point to ‘rates’ rather than ‘bills.’ Rates are generally – not always – dependent on the market values.
This has the potential to create fundamental change when combined with single member voter districts.
It’s likely some of us will finally have a real voice.
Maybe we’ll finally have real governance and common financial sense used for the distribution of “owner” supplied fees and charges.
“Three Duke Energy lobbyists who were to join Gov. Ron DeSantis in mid February, a precious opportunity for the utility to get face time with Florida’s new governor weeks after he took office.
Internal documents obtained by the Tampa Bay Times reveal that Duke’s lobbyists didn’t just request the governor’s time. They were supposed to pay for it, too.
“Is this the one that is $25k per?” asked the chair of DeSantis’ political committee, Susan Wiles, in February emails referencing the upcoming round of golf.“
Y’all kidding yourselves…power play for corporate takeover of people’s assets for corporate and personal gain.
I didn’t care who takes over GRU as long as it’s out of the city’s hands don’t care about the rates coming down at least my money will not be supporting their ideology left wing ideas that i have no say so in due to living outside of the city
It’s a long overdue start. Voter/customer vigilance is still necessary throughout this process.
DeSantis has the opportunity to neutralize Blue islands still in Florida. It wouldn’t be so bad if they actually advanced their residents with *real* progress. But they began to worsen our lives years ago, knowing that’s how their own careers grow legs: make your 97% non-voters’ lives worse so your 3% voters/donors will keep supporting your longterm career plans in politics.
I don’t know if it is the government’s job to ‘advance residents’, though some politicians and pundits say it is.
It is probably a stretch to argue a lower utility bill is *real* progress since that is probably determined on an individual basis.
However, the attempts to deny reformation of the GRU/City relationship in interest to voters and customers, based upon political affiliation rather than economics, are not sustainable.
People eat, shop, and use their A.C. more often than they vote. ‘Bipartisan ‘commonality’ is the bane of political extremism.
The right of citizens in a democracy to self determination is not “based upon political affiliation”. What a crock. The “political affiliation” obsession here is the now regular practice of the state GOP to perform hostile takeovers aimed at blue localities, and not for the 1st time Alachua County and Gainesville. This is just another attack by Clemons and Perry on the part of their district they can’t win as they have relied more and more on dirty tricks, illegal dark money, and gerrymandering which in the latest round removed more of Alachua County from their districts so they can stay in office. Look it up. This is not a mystery.
The railroading of this bill – I think you assured us that in committee some reasonable adjustments might occur – with literally no public or expert inputtells us all we need to know about the partisan nature of this raid. No matter how you cut it, one can only support this if they don’t care about democracy as much as they do partisan aggression.
Anyone else see the recent legislation going into effect on May 1st regarding mortgages? If you’ve worked your life to obtain an excellent credit score, you will now be penalized for doing so. You’ll now be subsidizing those who have been less responsible by paying an extra fee for mortgages over a certain amount, ($400k), I believe. “Google” it for more info on current federal administration’s plan to make housing more “affordable.”
How’s that for “equity.”
I haven’t looked at the details of this but, yes, this ‘wears the same clothes’ as the Clinton administration’s (Bill, not Hillary) initiative to push sub-prime mortgages on those who couldn’t afford a cheeseburger.
Then, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men…..
I don’t know why there needs to be an affordable housing plan since it is so fashionable and virtuous to turn the streets, wooded areas, and intersections over to vagrants and bums looking for a way to be arrested for a night in jail with a roof over their heads…….
The sub prime crisis was not driven by CRA loans as you imply. They were subject to tighter federal rules on mortgages, unlike the private mortgage companies which did drive the crisis and many of which went under as a result. Further, about 1/2 of the failures were speculative purchases, not 1st time buyers. Bundling all this and sending to Wall Street made it a financial crisis of world wide proportions. So, sorry, not the n…….s fault
Thank your democratic idiot president for this
Love me some big government ‘conservatives’ who believe command and control should be done from Tallahassee.
This theft isn’t about policy or rates, it is revenge. Chuck Clemons will be remembered as the guy that set the table for FPL’s purchase of GRU.
It’s obviously not capable of being done at a local level, not with competence or common sense anyway.
Keep braying, couple more and you’ll have a band.
I’m fine with both …
Republican oversight in a nest of angry democrats, there is yet still hope for the customers of GRU.
I am wondering about the cost of a political position and where the breaking point is. Every position has one.
For example, to keep true to a Blue (or Red) political ideological identity, how much is ‘too much’ to personally pay out of pocket for that position?
Talk is cheap.
A donation of $2-3,000 a year to the political party of choice is about the difference between Gainesville and other Florida cities’ annual utility bills.
The problem is the donation is a choice and tax deductible. A utility bill is neither unless a business can deduct it and pass the difference on to customers.
In plain view of GRU is Clay Electric Cooperative with substantially lower bills; reduced fees.
The combined debt of Gainesville and GRU is $1.7-billion. $622-million of that is from the long distant purchase of the biomass plant.
Tallahassee is not responsible for that unless the state can be partially blamed for waiting so long to act.
Now, the city cannot afford to pay the interest on that debt with its current revenue sources; taxes and GRU fees.
Back to the question; how many thousand dollars per year is anyone willing to pay to keep ‘big government conservatives’ from bringing GRU’s financials under control?
How many GRU customers could write a $3,000+ check to support that position right now?
Are those that can afford to do so, and more, sensitive to those who can’t?
And, Democrats, what demographic identity are those who can’t afford the high bills?
There is a moral imperative being lost in the ideological interest of keeping Gainesville Blue and in debt.
Gee, I thought the details would be tweaked in committee! What a railroad job, down to the 30 second comments from the public and principles who traveled 150 miles. This is a hostile takeover just like many the GOP and DeSantis are staging. Hope you all like it when the tables are turned, and they will be someday, and these violations of self determination will have set precedent. Your base is an older shrinking demographic.
Enjoy.
How many times did Poe silence his detractors?
I’m sure city leaders will find the “funds” in their budget to compensate them for mileage and per diem. If you’re really concerned about it, you can ante up.
Is it a duet or still solo?
Thanks for confirming the facts of this partisan railroad job.
You’re welcome. Gets your panties in a wad when faced with the same doesn’t it? If it helps, the city has made sure they’ll put the appropriate products in every public restroom.
Thursday April 27 th.