Politics
Adam Putnam Says Energy Bill Opponents 'Lack Good Information'
Around the State
With the much-anticipated energy bill sitting on Gov. Rick Scott’s desk pending approval, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said opposition to his legislation, which includes a coalition of Florida tea party groups, is “rooted in a lack of good information.”
Putnam defended the first comprehensive energy plan in the state since 2007 as one that replaces alternative-energy mandates with market-driven incentives while playing up Florida’s “natural competitive advantages.”
“We’re relying on the market to make decisions in this legislation, not picking winners and losers,” Putnam told reporters. “We are technology agnostic. We are not saying solar is better or biomass is better or wind is better. We’re saying if you spend real capital and put real bricks and mortar in the ground, and hire people, and actually are producing either renewable fuel or electricity, then you are eligible for a tax credit. It is not an upfront subsidy.
“It is only after you have spent significant amounts of private capital that you have some tax credit for that renewable technology, whatever that technology may be,” Putnam added. “You have to prove to the marketplace that it will be successful and then you have to demonstrate it to be eligible for that credit.”
The credit would equal about 1 penny per kilowatt hour produced.
Last month a coalition of 86 tea party groups around Florida called on Gov. Rick Scott to veto four bills passed by the 2012 Legislature, including the splitting of University of South Florida-Polytechnic in Lakeland into a 12th state university, and Putnam’s energy bill.
In opposing the energy bill, HB 7117, the coalition declared: "We do not believe the government should be determining the marketplace for renewable-energy projects. This bill extends $16 million in renewable-energy tax credits, creates separate rules for electric vehicle recharging stations and mandates studies of the resources available to produce biomass energy."
On Thursday, the conservative Americans for Prosperity’s Florida chapter claimed the bill was the state picking "winners and losers" and announced it is also lobbying Scott to veto the energy bill.
“This misguided political ideology of picking winners and losers in the marketplace will undoubtedly continue its pattern of wasting taxpayer money by bankrolling politically-favored energy companies,” AFP-FL’s State Director Slade O’Brien stated in a release.
“It leads to crony capitalism and crony politics. We certainly don’t need a Solyndra-type boondoggle here in Florida. Subsidizing renewable-energy production will not only distort the marketplace but will actually drive the cost of energy up and undermine Florida’s rebounding economy.”
Putnam’s energy bill, considered more realistic than prior efforts, would expand renewable-energy production tax credits and allow local governments to use discretionary sales tax revenue to assist homeowners who make energy-efficiency improvements.
The legislation also streamlines the permitting process for bio-fuel feedstock crops and allows retail dealers to sell unblended gasoline, which is desired by the boating industry.
The bill, mediated in both chambers, is the first comprehensive energy plan to be approved by the Legislature since former Gov. Charlie Crist introduced a plan in 2007 that called for sweeping reforms. Many of Crist’s proposals have since remained dormant or required repeal.
Scott has until April 14 to act on the bill.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
Putnam defended the first comprehensive energy plan in the state since 2007 as one that replaces alternative-energy mandates with market-driven incentives while playing up Florida’s “natural competitive advantages.”
“We’re relying on the market to make decisions in this legislation, not picking winners and losers,” Putnam told reporters. “We are technology agnostic. We are not saying solar is better or biomass is better or wind is better. We’re saying if you spend real capital and put real bricks and mortar in the ground, and hire people, and actually are producing either renewable fuel or electricity, then you are eligible for a tax credit. It is not an upfront subsidy.
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The credit would equal about 1 penny per kilowatt hour produced.
Last month a coalition of 86 tea party groups around Florida called on Gov. Rick Scott to veto four bills passed by the 2012 Legislature, including the splitting of University of South Florida-Polytechnic in Lakeland into a 12th state university, and Putnam’s energy bill.
In opposing the energy bill, HB 7117, the coalition declared: "We do not believe the government should be determining the marketplace for renewable-energy projects. This bill extends $16 million in renewable-energy tax credits, creates separate rules for electric vehicle recharging stations and mandates studies of the resources available to produce biomass energy."
On Thursday, the conservative Americans for Prosperity’s Florida chapter claimed the bill was the state picking "winners and losers" and announced it is also lobbying Scott to veto the energy bill.
“This misguided political ideology of picking winners and losers in the marketplace will undoubtedly continue its pattern of wasting taxpayer money by bankrolling politically-favored energy companies,” AFP-FL’s State Director Slade O’Brien stated in a release.
“It leads to crony capitalism and crony politics. We certainly don’t need a Solyndra-type boondoggle here in Florida. Subsidizing renewable-energy production will not only distort the marketplace but will actually drive the cost of energy up and undermine Florida’s rebounding economy.”
Putnam’s energy bill, considered more realistic than prior efforts, would expand renewable-energy production tax credits and allow local governments to use discretionary sales tax revenue to assist homeowners who make energy-efficiency improvements.
The legislation also streamlines the permitting process for bio-fuel feedstock crops and allows retail dealers to sell unblended gasoline, which is desired by the boating industry.
The bill, mediated in both chambers, is the first comprehensive energy plan to be approved by the Legislature since former Gov. Charlie Crist introduced a plan in 2007 that called for sweeping reforms. Many of Crist’s proposals have since remained dormant or required repeal.
Scott has until April 14 to act on the bill.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
Comments (10)
I say give an across-the-board tax credit to all business and fund it by cutting spending. If they want to give green energy a tax credit let it be part of a tax credit for all businesses. The taxpayer's only pay for a tax credit, if taxes are raised in another area.
Mr Putnam is a globalist and A21 believer.
Tax credits ARE subsidies. WE must make up the difference.
SRQ's local option sales tax is supposed to be used for roads.
Of course, it's gasoline taxes that were supposed to be used for roads.
You know, I might actually support some of your views on the subsidy issue, but I can get past the demonizing. Losing your message over your demonizing vitriol.
If you read what Putnam said, there is no correlation between this and Solindra. That was a federal loan program for a private business - something the government has no business doing. This is a tax credit for something actually produced. Much like the manufactures tax credit to incentivize domestic manufacturing. Tax credits are a conservative alternative to mandates - it was tried and true with Ronald Reagan with all sorts of programs.
This just seems like this "tea party" group - and I don't know if they are real or fake - has some other hidden agenda, because attacking this is a ridiculous waste of everyone's time. Rome is burning all around us and these guys are fiddling with nit-picky stuff for what? To attack Adam Putnam?
Someone makes up the difference here and that someone is those who work and cannot afford to participate in the program. Therefore we subsidize those who can.
Tax credits are the Conservative Republican approach to foster good public policy. People who oppose tax credits just to oppose them are foolish, and uneducated on how business works. These tax credits appear to be promoting energy independence. And for a penny per energy KW created you get all wired up? Its what my father used to call majoring in the minors.
Try telling that to the last group who took the state up on their offer and spent thousands of dollars to convert their homes to solar only to have the paperwork lost or the funds depleted.
The fact is that when government decides to give away taxpayer money to benefit chosen businesses they are in fact picking winners and losers. When you offer taxpayer's money you are actually driving the prices of those items up. Supply and demand no longer applies.
Personally, I would rather have those tax dollars go where they belong, to our county clerks, our universities, our public schools, our public employees not to line the pockets of an industry that cannot make it on it's own. Certainly not to manufactures of solar panels in China.
Commissioner Putnam, just because you won and election does not mean they voted you smartest person in the room. Using the Democrat mantra against informed conservatives is not only wrong, it means that you are the one who is uninformed. We are smarter than you think and if you would talk to us rather than talk down to us you would see that is in fact the case.
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