Lawsuit filed after recording banned at utility rate hearing
A lawsuit filed Thursday accuses the Alabama Public Service Commission of violating the Open Meetings Act by preventing audience members from recording a recent hearing. The lawsuit was filed by Laura Casey, a Democratic candidate for PSC president. Casey was one of three people ejected from the hearing last month for recording or live-streaming. The case asks for a court declaration that the utility regulatory commission violated the state’s Open Meetings Act which allows the recording of public meetings. It also asks for a fine. The hearing centered on a challenge to fees charged by Alabama Power on customers who use solar panels, or other means, to generate part of their own electricity. The meeting was open to the public as the three PSC members sat and heard testimony about why they thought the fees were or weren’t justified. The commission has not announced a decision. Administrative Law Judge John Garner told audience members during the hearing that they couldn’t record because it was a legal proceeding. The ejected audience members were told they could return only if they agreed to stop recording. The lawsuit names the commissioners as defendants. Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama Power fees on solar challenged
Jim Bankston installed solar panels on his Tuscaloosa home, he estimated it would trim his electricity bill, and the savings would eventually offset the cost of the hefty investment. After it was running, he noticed fees on his Alabama Power bill that he didn’t understand and learned there was a $5-per-kilowatt capacity charge on customers who use solar panels to produce a portion of their own electricity. “I am having to pay them just to use the photons that are hitting my own roof,” Bankston said. He had estimated the system would eventually pay for itself in 20 years. With the fees included, he said it could be twice that. “I won’t be alive anymore, maybe,” the 45-year-old radiologist says wryly, also noting that it also might be beyond the life span of the panels he installed. The Alabama Public Service Commission will hold a Nov. 21 hearing on a challenge to the fees charged by Alabama Power. The utility says the fees are needed to provide backup power for customers. But critics say the fees are some of the highest in the nation and make it harder for people to use alternative energy sources. “It’s discouraging the use of solar,” said Keith Johnston, managing attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center’s Birmingham office. “We call it a solar tax.” The fee is based on the size of the solar system, so a five kilowatt system would have a monthly fee of $25. The average solar panel setup for a home costs about $10,000, according to the environmental law center. The fees add another $9,000 over the 30-year-lifespan of a system, dramatically increasing a homeowner’s cost and reducing any financial benefit they see from solar, the law group said. Johnston says they haven’t found a large investor-owned utility with fees as high as those being charged in Alabama. “It’s definitely one of the highest.” The petition asks the commission to bar Alabama Power from collecting the fee. Alabama Power is asking utility regulators to dismiss the complaint. They said the $5 fee is actually not enough and are asking to be allowed to increase the charge to $5.42 per kilowatt. Alabama Power said there is an important reason for the fees: The company has to maintain power grid infrastructure to provide backup power if the panels don’t provide enough energy. “There is a cost to having back-up power available to customers, including customers with solar systems who remain tied to the grid for backup service,” Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman said. He said the capacity reservation charge applies to anyone who has some type of onsite generation and still needs backup from the grid. People who go off grid “avoid any and all costs related to Alabama Power serving them,” he said. He said the company believes it has a compelling case in the upcoming hearing and is “focused on protecting all our customers and ensuring that those who use certain services pay for those services.” The issue of fees has arisen in New Mexico, Arizona and other states, causing clashes between renewable energy proponents and utilities. A power company in Iowa unsuccessfully pushed lawmakers to approve a fee that would require a homeowner with an average solar array to pay about $27 a month. “I think they are really intended to discourage customers from installing solar,” Gwen Farnsworth, a senior energy policy adviser with Western Resource Advocates, a Colorado-based conservation group. Farnsworth said the Alabama charge is “quite high.” Teresa Thorne, 65, had a four kilowatt system installed on her roof in Blount County, Alabama. She wanted to support solar and maybe in the process save a little money on her power bill. The $5-per-kilowatt capacity charge amounts to an extra $20 on her power bill. She said while that doesn’t sound like much, it slashes the savings she expected to see after investing thousands of dollars to install the system. “It cuts my savings in half,” Thorne said. Thorne said she tells people interested in solar for economic reasons that the fees make it not “economically feasible to do it in my opinion.” “I would not have done it if I’d known. That’s the bottom line. If I truly understood it was going to cost me half of the savings,” Thorne said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Five things you need to know about Cara McClure
Cara McClure, the Democratic candidate for Public Service Commission Place 1 ran unopposed in the June 5 primary. But now that the primaries are over, the real battle has begun. McClure now faces incumbent Republican Commissioner Jeremy Oden in the November 6 general election for the PSC seat. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Cara McClure: 1. She’s an entrepreneur by nature Nurturing her entrepreneurial spirit, McClure’s parents allowed her to work for their family’s cleaning service while she was in elementary school. There she made cold calls to apartment complexes and small businesses, she also sold candy door-to-door she says in her campaign bio. 2. She is a co-founder of the Magic City Chapter of Black Lives Matter group. After a dispute between group members on whether or not to join with the national Black Lives Matter group, the Black Lives Matter in Birmingham group split into two separate entities from which the Magic City Chapter of Black Lives Matter was formed. McClure was a co-founder of the second group, which voted to join the national coalition of BLM groups. “I’ve been with that group [Black Lives Matter in Birmingham] since Day One,” McClure told AL.com. “I didn’t like how the women were treated. I said we really need to join the national group, and they voted no. We’ve put together an awesome group. We’re not just out there screaming. We want real change.” 3. She’s a dedicated activist. Beyond her work with the BLM movement, McClure also helped launch Showing Up for Racial Justice Birmingham — a group that works to undermine white supremacy and to work toward racial justice through community organizing, mobilizing, and education. She also spearheaded “Black Mama’s Bail Out Day” in Birmingham, which raised money to help bail out incarcerated black mothers to help reunite with their children and families ahead of Mother’s Day. As a recent Glamour Magazine article that featured McClure pointed out, “if elected, she would become the first African American—male or female—to serve on the commission in Alabama. Her hope is to represent the people she’s been fighting for throughout her life: ‘the marginalized and poor black and brown communities that are underrepresented on the commission,’ she says. ‘Those who don’t have a voice or seat at the table.’” 4. She was briefly homeless. Following a marital separation McClure and her son were left homeless. Rebounding quickly and using her personal struggle as a tool, McClure founded her own apartment locator service, ASAP Apartment Locators in January of 2013 to help individuals and families find their ideal homes, which she continues to operate today. 5. She and Kari Powell are leading a double-team effort for PSC Places 1 and 2. In addition to creating McClures branding, Kari Powell and McClure are leading a double-team effort for PSC Places 1 and 2 traveling, campaigning and speaking together at events. Both running as Democrats, they seek to bring fair and affordable utility rates to Alabama.
Five things you need to know about Jeremy Oden
Incumbent candidate for Public Service Commissioner Place 1, Jeremy Oden faced one major challenge in the June 5 primary; his opponent Jim Bonner. Bonner gained a lot of media attention after being censured by the Alabama Republican Party for questionable social media posts, and the fact that he shares a name with former Former Congressman Jo Bonner (even though they’re not related). Oden ended up narrowly winning in the primary with 50.34 percent of the vote to Bonner’s 49.66 percent. Now that the primaries are over, Oden will face political newcomer, Democrat Cara McClure in the November 6 general election for the PSC seat. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Jeremy Oden: 1. He was a member of the Alabama House of Representatives for over a decade. Oden was first elected to serve in the Alabama House in 1998, representing District 11. He served there until 2012 when he resigned in order to take the PSC Place 1 seat. While serving in the Alabama House, Oden was a member of the Energy Council, giving him first-hand experience in dealing with the energy sector in the state. “In a house seat you have to always look at the local aspect of what you are doing — how it effects the ones you represent,” Oden told Yellowhammer News. “In the PSC you have to look at the emphasis on the local area, but also you have to consider the statewide implication. Sometimes that is not as cut and dry as it is in the legislature. This is a huge state with a lot of difference in opinions and trying to blend those into an overall decision is difficult. 2. He was appointed to the PSC position by former Gov. Robert Bentley. Oden, the incumbent in the PSC race, was appointed in 2012 by then-Gov. Robert Bentley to fill the vacant Place 1 on the commission. The spot became vacant after Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh was elected to serve as President of the PSC. In 2014, Oden won the Republican nomination in the primary election running on a campaign focused on battling former-President Barack Obama and his environmental initiatives. He faced no major party challenge in the November 4 general election and won a four-year term to the seat . He has served in the place since 3. He is an ordained minister. Oden earned his a Bachelor’s degree from Asbury University, a Christian liberal arts university located in Kentucky. He attended two years of post-graduate seminary studies at the same university and was ordained as a minister serving as a children’s minister, youth minister, church director, and Christian education director throughout his political career. 4. His background is in business and finance. Before he was appointed to the PSC Oden worked as a Branch Manager and Vice President for Eva Bank in Cullman, Ala.. He also owened and pperated several small businesses including O and O Construction Incorporated, O and O Construction and Lumber and Oden Farms. 5. He’s represented the state in several committees. As a PSC commissioner, Oden represents the State of Alabama on various committees including the Eastern Interconnection States’ Planning Council (EISPC), the Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition (NWSC), and the Electricity Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) among others.
Five things you need to know about Kari Powell
Now that the primaries are over, the real battle has begun. Running unopposed in the June 5 Primary Kari Powell, the Democratic candidate for Public Service Commissioner Place 2, will face against Incumbent Chip Beeker in the November 6 general election for the PSC seat. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Kari Powell: 1. She’s a graphic designer and marketer by trade. Powell began her career working for two large family owned real estate companies as a Marketing Director, and has won an award for her talents. “I was integral in designing and developing new websites for both companies, and maintaining content. Other duties included developing and implementing external and internal marketing campaigns, and creating marketing and advertising plans for sales associates,” Powell said. In 2013, she won a HOW International Design Award for the logo she designed for her husband’s business, Powell Pediatric Dentistry. 2. She volunteers her time and talent to several organizations. In addition to designing her own campaign logo, she also designed Senate District 11 candidate Carl Carter, and Public Service Commission Place 1 candidate Cara McClure‘s branding. “In 2017 I did a pro-bono rebranding of the Service Guild of Birmingham, an organization which I am a member of,” Powell told Alabama Today. “I do as-needed design work for my church, Saint Junia UMC. In 2016 I designed the logo for the local organization Faith In Action Alabama, of which I am also a member.” She also volunteers her time at the Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs with infants and toddlers at risk for developmental delay. 3. She’s a graduate of Emerge Alabama candidate training. Emerge Alabama founded in 2017, is a training group for Democratic women in the state with only one goal: increase the number of Democratic women serving in office in the state. It is an intensive 70-hour training program with proven results. “In 2016, over 330 Emerge alumnae ran for office across the country and 70 percent of those who appeared on the November ballot won their elections,” Emerge Alabama said. 4. Her grandmother was involved in politics, and was the person who convinced her to run. Powell’s grandmother ran for office herself in the 1960’s beating six men for her seat on the school board, which was rare at the time, continuing to run unopposed for the next two terms. “She saw how active I had become over the past couple of years in local and statewide elections, and she pulled me aside at a family wedding, and asked if I had ever considered running for office,” Powell said. “She said she regrets not taking her political career further, and urged me to consider running.” 5. She and Cara McClure are leading a double-team effort for PSC Places 1 and 2 In addition to creating McClures branding, the duo is leading a double-team effort for PSC Places 1 and 2 traveling, campaigning and speaking together at events. Both running as Democrats, they seek to bring fair and affordable utility rates to Alabama.
Get to know: Twinkle Cavanaugh Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Republican Lt. Governor-hopeful Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh is no stranger to state politics and getting things done. She currently serves the people of Alabama as President of the Public Service Commission. Over the past six years, she has “rightsized” the PSC and reduced overall spending by 30 percent. This has saved the taxpayers over $50 million and will continue to save our state over $10 million annually. Prior to her time at the PSC, she was the first female Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party back in 2005. Now she’s one of three Republicans running for Lieutenant Governor. She hopes to lead the charge to restore the state’s image and elevate Alabama into a land of opportunity for generations to come. While some voters don’t know much about the office of Lt. Governor, current Gov. Kay Ivey attributes her time in the position as what prepared her to take over the Governorship last April. As written in state law, the Lieutenant Governor is the President of the Senate and is entitled to vote in the event of a tie, much like that of the Vice President of the United States. They are also vested with certain prescribed legislative duties, powers, and responsibilities. Here Cavanaugh is in her own words: Significant other? Kids? I’m married to Jeff Cavanaugh, a veterinarian. We have three children and two grandchildren. We are active members of First Baptist Church in Montgomery, where we teach Sunday School and Jeff serves as a Deacon. Education background? Professional background? I graduated from Jefferson Davis High School and then Auburn University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in biology and my teaching certificate. What was your first job? I got my first job working at a local Bojangles’ in high school. My first job after graduating from Auburn was teaching at Houston Hills Junior High School in downtown Montgomery. In 25 words or less, why are you running for office? I’m running for Lt. Governor to cut the size of state government, fight for our conservative way of life, and to help build a brighter Alabama for our children and grandchildren. Did you speak with anybody in your political party before deciding on running? Receive any encouragement? From whom? I spoke with my family before deciding to run, and we took a close look at everything involved. After prayer, discussion, and doing our homework, I know that I can make a significant positive impact on our state as Lt. Governor. I have been blessed to serve at the Public Service Commission and strongly believe that I have more to offer my fellow Alabamians. My family has been so encouraging throughout my time in public service, and I could truly not do it without their constant love and support. Who do you count on for advice? First and foremost, I pray for guidance. My family also serves as an important sounding board. When it comes to specific issues that pop up in state government, I like to hear from the relevant stakeholders and hear all sides. That’s the best way to find comprehensive, measured solutions to the very real challenges facing our state. Who is your political consultant? Campaign manager? Randy Hinaman is my campaign’s general consultant. Who was the first person to contribute to your campaign? Why did they donate? Several individuals sent me a check the very first day of fundraising back in June of 2017. I’ve been blessed by strong grassroots supporters for years, and I’m proud to have tried and true conservatives fighting alongside me. Who, if anyone, inspires you in state government? Ronald Reagan was the person who really first inspired me to get involved in conservative causes; Chuck Colson (founder of Prison Fellowship) has also been a motivating figure to me. As far as state government goes, I have had the privilege of working with so many tremendous state employees who go above and beyond to serve the people of our great state. State government could not function without the tireless dedication of everyday men and women across Alabama. Why do people mistrust elected officials and what are you going to do about it? We are sick and tired of being embarrassed by elected officials. Year after year, negative surprises keep popping up. These are the things that make national news and sully our state’s image. We can and we must do better. I’m running for Lt. Governor because I believe Alabama’s brightest days can be ahead of us with proven conservative leaders at the helm. We can be the envy of the South and a beacon for the rest of the nation. It all starts with restoring trust in state government. I want to lead the charge in doing a full audit of state spending and find out how we can right-size agencies across the board like we have done at the Public Service Commission. One of the best things elected officials can do to restore people’s faith in them is to prove that our tax dollars are being spent efficiently and prudently. What are 3 issues that you’re running on? (Please don’t simply say “education” or “improving the schools”) First, we must continue investing in pre-K and early elementary education while at the same time giving our children a strong finish. For some of our students, that means a college degree from one of our world-class colleges or universities, but for many, it means getting a technical certification or job training. Workforce development programs, technical schools, public-private partnerships, and dual enrollment programs with local community colleges will prepare our children for good, high-paying jobs and make Alabama an attractive place to start or grow a business. The bottom line is that each child should be equipped for and allowed to choose his or her own path to success. Second, we need to fix Alabama’s infrastructure. Infrastructure is the backbone of commerce. So many of our roads and river ways need work. And it is our duty to provide job creators with high speed connectivity, low-cost electricity, and a dependable network of roads, bridges, and waterways, so they can thrive and create new jobs. Third, we need regulatory reform. Government
Alabama GOP steering committee disqualifies votes for Jim Bonner for PSC
Alabama Republicans say they won’t certify the votes of a statewide candidate who’s come under scrutiny for what the party calls “egregious” comments. The decision announced Thursday means Jim Bonner, who’s running for the utility-regulating Public Service Commission, won’t get the party’s nomination even if he’s the leading vote-getter in Tuesday’s primary. The two-time delegate to the Republican National Convention is trying to unseat incumbent Jeremy Oden. But he’s made comments on social media and radio that could be offensive to women, blacks, Jews and Muslims. The party censured Bonner this week, and it took a further step after a meeting by saying it won’t consider his votes in the election. Bonner says his public comments are being taken out of context, and he’s appealing the decision to the party. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Former, current GOP elected officials expected to set record straight on PSC candidate Jim Bonner
Former and Current Republican elected officials from Mobile and Baldwin Counties will gather Friday to discuss “a very important statewide primary race.” Many speculate the unnamed race is the Public Service Commission (PSC) Place 1 race between Jim Bonner, a controversial Republican candidate for the position, who is unexpectedly polling ahead of his opponent, six-year incumber Jeremy Oden. Former Republican U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner, Daphne-Republican State Rep. Randy Davis, Fairhope-Republican State Rep. Joe Faust, Bay Minette-Republican State Rep. Steve McMillan, Mobile-Republican State Rep. Chris Pringle, and Stockton-Republican State Rep. Harry Shiver, along with other Mobile and Baldwin County officials will be in attendance in Bienville Square at 9 a.m. PSC candidate Jim Bonner has recently made statewide news for polling ahead of Oden. Many believe Jim Bonner is making good on a case of mistaken identity and riding the coattails of former Alabama Congressman Jo Bonner of Mobile. In addition, many of the same critics are hitting Jim Bonner for a series of “questionable” posts on social media calling him anti-Semitic and racist. On Tuesday, the ALGOP censured Jim Bonner for his statements on both social media and the radio. “The Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee voted unanimously to publicly censure and strongly condemn Mr. Jim Bonner, candidate for Public Service Commission, Place 1,” said ALGOP Chairman Terry Lathan in the release. “Mr. Bonner’s recent comments on his social media as well as radio shows are not condoned by the Alabama Republican Party. Mr. Bonner is welcome to his opinions and his first amendment right of free speech. The Alabama Republican Party is welcome to our opinion as well, and we reject the egregious comments Mr. Bonner continues to spew.” Specifics on the news conference have yet to be announced.
ALGOP censures PSC candidate James Bonner for questionable social media posts, interviews
Terry Lathan, and the Alabama Republican Party are having none of it. The ALGOP Chairwoman issued a statement on Tuesday night, condemning and censuring Public Service Commissioner Place 1 candidate, James “Jim” Bonner‘s opinions, expressed on his radio show, and on social media. “The Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee voted unanimously to publicly censure and strongly condemn Mr. Jim Bonner, candidate for Public Service Commission, Place 1,” said Lathan in the release. “Mr. Bonner’s recent comments on his social media as well as radio shows are not condoned by the Alabama Republican Party. Mr. Bonner is welcome to his opinions and his first amendment right of free speech. The Alabama Republican Party is welcome to our opinion as well, and we reject the egregious comments Mr. Bonner continues to spew.” “Furthermore, the ALGOP Candidate Committee unanimously urges Republican voters in the June 5 primary to NOT cast votes for Jim Bonner for the Public Service Commission, Place 1.” Bonner has been under constant criticism for a series of “questionable” posts on social media calling him anti-Semitic and racist. “In post after post, Bonner seems to revel in racist, sexist and anti-semite comments, but this has dampened his support among those who think he is someone he’s not,” wrote APR. Despite all of this, Bonner is doing fairly well in polls, particularly in Mobile and surrounding areas. He shares a last name with retired Congressman Jo Bonner, and because of the popularity of the Bonner family name, Jim Bonner is seeing some success. Bonner faces off against Jeremy Oden in the June 5 primary.
Exclusive: Jim Bonner, candidate for PSC, reacts to polling and trolling
Few things can cause a stir as much as a political upset and Alabama has seen several of those in recent years. From Gary Palmer unexpectedly winning his congressional seat, to Doug Jones and Randall Woodfin — the surprises keep coming. Which is why following the release of polling data that shows yet another upset on the horizon, politicos and reporters across Alabama are buzzing this week about the Public Service Commission: Place 1 race. There, Jim Bonner, a controversial Republican candidate for the position, is unexpectedly polling ahead of his opponent, six-year incumber Jeremy Oden. Many believe Bonner is making good on a case of mistaken identity and riding the coattails of former Alabama Congressman Jo Bonner of Mobile. News outlets across the state have begun to point out just that: Alabama Political Report The Alabama Public Service Commission race, where little-known James “Jim” Bonner is challenging incumbent Jeremy Oden. Bonner is actually leading Oden in recent polls because voters in the Mobile area are confusing him with former U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, who served the area in Congress for more than a decade. He is also seeing wide support in the Birmingham and Tuscaloosa areas because of former University of Alabama Chancellor Judy Bonner. Yellowhammer News Jim Bonner, a controversial candidate for Alabama Public Service Commission, Place 1, is showing promise as he leads his 6-year incumbent competitor among some Alabama voters, particularly those who used to be represented in Congress by Jo Bonner of Mobile. Even politicos are getting in on the debate. Cygnal, a Montgomery-based polling firm, Founder and President Brent Buchanan had to say this: What makes this particular race so interesting is that Jim Bonner is benefiting greatly from having the same last name as the former Congressman Jo Bonner and his well-known sister former Judy Bonner. This is borne out by the fact that in the Mobile media market Jim Bonner leads Jeremy Oden by 28% to 6%, a 4-to-1 ratio. …It appears from the data that this PSC race is within the margin of error strictly because of name confusion. Jim Bonner is competitive across the state despite the fact that he has spent no money on advertising or building his name ID. Given what is expected to be a low turnout election, Jim Bonner would be favored to win this race if it were held today. Facebook posts Beyond the name confusion, many of the same critics are hitting Bonner for a series of “questionable” posts on social media calling him anti-Semitic and racist. “In post after post, Bonner seems to revel in racist, sexist and anti-semite comments, but this has dampened his support among those who think he is someone he’s not,” wrote APR. But Bonner doesn’t think he’s racist or anti-Semitic at all. Just this morning, he responded to a post on his Facebook wall about political correctness and those attacking him. “The base republicans ( the swamp) are shoveling money into liberal attach dogs to go through my facebook line by line and find something they can use to let the public know that Jim Bonner is unfit to be a member of the party that produced Guy Hunt, Mike Hubbard, Roy Moore, and Bentler the luv guv,” he wrote. What the polling says According to a poll released by Cygnal, the Republican primary electorate was 77% conservative, 16% moderate, and 4% liberal with the rest somehow undecided on their ideology. Of those with the highest propensity to show up and vote on June 5th, this PSC example has Oden ahead by one point. “Primary election voters are some of the most hardcore, yet they still don’t know who many of the candidates on the ballot are. Voters either skip the race all together or pick a somewhat familiar name, even when it’s not who they think it is,” Buchanan concluded. The Cygnal survey was conducted between May 14 – 16, 2018, with 623 voters who have a history of Republican primary participation and say they are likely on June 5th. The survey included 200 cell phone interviews and has a 4.4% margin of error. It was paid for by multiple private participants and included mostly private questions for those subscribers, which will not released. Bonner weighs in With all of the accusations and speculations, Alabama Today reached out to Bonner to get his side of the story. Here are his responses in full: Why are you running for office? The Public Service Commission was created to ensure that the ratepayers are protected and that all recipients receive services equally. As a Republican, I believe this begins with ensuring our Alabama Corporations earn enough money to provide adequate services to their consumers and pay reasonable wages to their employees. As PSC, I would work to equitably balance the needs of the ratepayers while supporting the profits of our Alabama Corporations. What do you offer the PSC that your primary opponent Jeremy Oden does not? My campaign has been primarily self-funded plus a few small contributions from members of the community; I have not received contributions from major corporations. As such, I remain unbiased and uninfluenced by special interest groups. As an added bonus, I’m the only candidate with a background in electrical engineering, I have unescorted nuclear plant clearance, and I know how to use a voltmeter. Should people take your Facebook posts seriously? From defending the N-word to calling yourself a Bentley-Republican, to anti-Semitic posts? Do you stand by those posts? What do you want voters to take away from them? The post that have been brought to light the past few days have been intentionally cut, cropped, and picked apart to paint me as one of the “bad republicans.” For example, my “defense of the N-word” was taken from a thoughtful blog post from 2014 advocating preservation of literature, specifically Mark Twain’s works. The image of the pregnant girl in uniform was linked to a pro-life discussion following the controversy of allowing girls to join the boy scouts. The
Donald Trump tax reform means more money in your pocket
The Trump presidency, while controversial in some ways, has also been very effective in others. We should give credit where credit is due. Trump’s plan is a win for Alabama families who will have more money in their pockets in coming months due to the national tax reform plan passed by Congress and signed by the President right before Christmas. If you missed it, last week the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) voted on $337 million in energy cost relief for Alabama residents. It’s estimated that families will save around $250 from July, when the savings go into effect, through the end of the year. Even House Speaker Paul Ryan highlighted the benefits of the cuts here in Alabama in a release from his office. In the few months following the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, utility companies in 48 out of 50 states, and DC, have taken action to pass their federal tax savings on to their customers. This means more than 87 million customers across the country—so far—are set to see lower monthly utility bills. Just this week, Alabama Power Company announced that it would be reducing its customers’ bills by $257 million this year. That’s 1.4 million Alabamians who will now be paying less each month for their utilities. The President doesn’t get a lot of good press even when he and his administration have positive results. At the same time Alabama’s Public Service Commission rarely makes the news, so lets not miss this opportunity to give both an “atta boy.”
Incumbents maintain substantial fundraising lead in Public Service Commission races
With the June 5 Primary less than one month away, Public Service Commission (PSC) candidates are gearing up for the final stretch of the race. Unsurprisingly, Republican incumbents seeking re-election have raised the most funds and support for themselves. In both the Place 1 and Place 2 races, only one Democrat is seeking election, meaning they will automatically advance to the Nov. 6 general election. Place 1 For Public Service Commissioner Place 1, newcomer Republican Jim Bonner will face incumbent, Republican Jeremy Oden on primary day. The winner will go on to face Democrat Cara Yvonne Mcclure in the Nov. 6 general election. Campaign finance reports reveal Oden’s fundraising is far ahead of both Bonner and McClure’s — by over $160,000. Candidate Beginning Funds on Hand Monetary Contributions Monetary Expenditures Non-Monetary Contributions Other Receipts Ending Funds on Hand Jim Bonner $0.00 $0.00 $6,374.00 $4,484.00 $1,890.00 -$4,484.00 Cara McClure $1,415.54 $310.51 $2,012.82 $0.00 $1,105.03 Jeremy Oden* $6.47 $165,000.00 $6,550.26 $62.94 $7,633.67 $166,089.88 Oden is also the only candidate for Place 1 who has a Facebook page for his campaign, while McClure uses Twitter for most of her social media outreach. Bonner has only a personal Facebook page. Newcomer McClure says her desire to be elected comes from a deep passion for the lower class, under-represented, and marginalized. “My experience, and sincere belief, is that by acting in the best interest of those people, we can raise the quality of life for all,” she explained. Place 2 In the race for Place 2, incumbent, Republican Chris “Chip” Beeker Jr. has maintained a substantial fundraising lead, raising more than $40,000 than his closest opponent. Beeker, who is seeking re-election, will face off against Republican Robin Ann Litaker in the primary. The winner will go on to face Democrat Kari Swenson-Powell in November. Candidate Beginning Funds On Hand Monetary Contributions Monetary Expenditures Non-Monetary Contributions Other Receipts Ending Funds on Hand Chris “Chip” Beeker Jr.* $6,936.45 $41,500.00 $3,925.24 $0.00 $0.00 $44,511.21 Robin Ann Litaker $0.00 $3,081.82 $2,454.32 $3,118.00 $0.00 $627.50 Kari Swenson-Powell $0.00 $2,851.00 $977.31 $2,062.61 $250.00 $2,123.69 The Republican challenger to the incumbent Litaker said, “In the last few years we have seen a speaker of the house, governor, Supreme Court Justice, and others steeped in controversy which ultimately led to them being removed from office.” She went on to add, “In my career as an educator, I had to uphold a high standard of excellence and I was held accountable to the public in everything I did. Why should government be any different? I am running because I want to ensure that Alabama’s taxpayers and ratepayers are represented fairly.” On the democrat side the winner of the republican primary will face Swenson-Powell, “This job excites me (yes, excites!) because it would give me an opportunity to represent all Alabamians and ensure that they are being charged fairly for their utilities,” said Swenson-Powell. “As a believer that we humans need to be good stewards of the Earth and it’s resources, as Public Service Commissioner, I would do everything in my power to make sure that clean energy resources have a pathway to flourish in Alabama.” * denotes an incumbent candidate. Red denotes a Republican candidate. Blue denotes a Democratic candidate.
