“Most people assume they’re paying for the cost of electricity, delivering it, power plants, lines," Pomerantz said. "Most people don’t assume they’re paying for lobbying, advertising and other things.” www.usatoday.com/story/money/...
Even if you're not political, your utility bill may be. Advocates warn utilities may be quietly passing down their lobbying costs to consumers.
Definitely true in Florida, too. All kinds of meddling by FPL lobbyists in Tallahassee.
Most people don’t know that AAA doesn’t just do Triptiks and roadside service, they do lobbying (for car drivers) too: exchange.aaa.com/about-aaa/aa...
Similarly, my office has caught SoCalGas using ratepayer funds in lobbying efforts against the public interest. www.latimes.com/environment/...
California's consumer watchdog office is urging state officials to fine Southern California Gas Co. millions of dollars for refusing to provide unfettered access to its financial records — the latest ...
We could change this But we don't
With lobbying being legalized government influence in the form of cash, we at @calxinstitute.bsky.social compute it as an externalized harm. We'd love a better way of counting it than just the amount of money that changes hands, but that's our start. (Calx, new here, not much to show or share, yet)
That's true about industries other than electricity, as well. Wonder how much of a gun barrel pays for a lobbyist.
Hey @volts.wtf someone other than you is saying it!
Would be true in California. SDG&E (Sempra), PG&E, AND So Cal Edison all charge much higher rates better than city/county owned utilities - usually to lobby th CPUC and to fight court cases.
In Northern California, we know damn well that we're paying higher rates to offset PG&E's fines for their criminal ineptitude in starting massive, deadly, costly wildfires.