California Goes ‘Socialized Electricity’ – Income-based Electricity Fees in Push for ‘Equity’

california electricity equity
Office of the Governor of California, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

California continues to give its residents reasons to flee the Golden State for its nemesis, the Sunshine State, including its recent push to base electricity fees on income versus actual usage. This recent endeavor is sold to the residents of California as a way to increase ‘equity’ and help California save the planet from climate change.

But will this push for “equitable energy” actually create equitable outcomes, and where do these ideas in penalizing those with means to allegedly help those without seem to originate? How is it that we’ve reached a point where you might prefer not to make more money in order to keep your bills down?

To dive into these bite-size green new deal initiatives in states like California, it’s essential to first look at some details and the chatter surrounding this idea of “equitable energy.”

Turn Off The Lights

California plans to use resident income levels to dictate electricity fees to decrease low-income family electricity costs. To break down the potential numbers, a resident who makes over $180,000 a year could pay up to $500 more in electricity fees yearly.

Compare that to a resident who makes less than $28,000 a year is estimated to save up to $300 annually in electricity fees under this new construct. Why the push to charge those who make more money higher fees than those who make less?

According to the rhetoric, it is to help expand and modernize California’s “green” electrical system. In case you forgot, California plans to ban fuel-burning vehicles by 2035. 

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It is estimated that the state will need to spend more than $9 billion on its power grid to make this pie-in-the-sky switch to renewable energies.

A statement from Pacific Gas & Electric states this move will:

“…help to limit the impact on disadvantaged communities, as Californians transition to electrification in support of the state’s clean energy goals.”

PG&E estimates that the lowest income users will see a 21% cut in their bills. In comparison, the highest-income users will see a 24% increase in their statements. 

Lights Are On, And Nobody’s Home

Not surprisingly, not everyone in Cali is jazzed about this socialist utility bill plan. As of this weekend, there were over 250 negative public comments, including my favorite:

“Why should I pay for someone else’s bill when I paid thousands for solar?”

Why indeed! The argument above touches on what many Californians did, thinking they would save money or receive tax credits for installing renewable options like solar panels on their homes.

They have been notified that instead, they will have to pay more regardless of any “clean energy” upgrades they made to their homes and the amount they actually use. That’s a tough pill to swallow, but when you add that California’s electricity prices already range from one and a half to double the national average, it’s no wonder so many are packing up and shipping out.

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The state government charged the electricity companies to come up with this plan to push “energy equity” by making:

“…electric bills more affordable and equitable.”

Nothing is more equitable than taking hard-earned money from the successful and giving it essentially to those who haven’t had the same level of success. How very Robin Hood of Governor Newsom.

It’s Not Really About Equity

While some on the left like to argue the merits of the flawed concept of equity over equality, others argue this California plan is just plain good for the environment. The Natural Resources Defense Council argues that these “fixed costs” from income-based fees will provide steady revenue to make it:

“…cheaper to use electricity to operate electric cars or appliances.”

So basically, the argument is that you have to spend money to save money. But really, this is just a red herring to make taxpayers pay for a climate concept riddled with falsities and ulterior motives.

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As touched on earlier, California announced a ban on gas-powered vehicles, and the following states followed suit:

  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Washington

But it’s not just your gas-powered cars the left is after. There has been a concerted push to ban natural gas heaters and gas appliances like gas-powered stoves, lawnmowers, and leaf blowers.

Why the war on gas and the push for electric? Is it born from a yearning on the left to save Mother Earth?

It’s Not About Climate, Either

In Washington, D.C., you can no longer use a gas-powered leaf blower; all it takes to get nailed with a hefty fine for use is a neighbor to complain. That’s right, no proof required; just a snoopy neighbor who needs more hobbies is all the government needs to nail you with a fine for using your legally purchased gas-powered leaf blower.

Many want gas-powered lawnmowers to face the same fate with social media pushes such as No Mow May. Originally sold as a way to try to provide a welcome environment for pollinators like bees, if you dig deep enough, you’ll find a lot of it is meant as a snide attack on us decadent Americans who are obsessed with well-manicured lawns.

But if you expand your view on this issue, you’ll find it has much darker roots. Earlier this year, President Biden pushed his “equitable access” concept to homeownership.

This idea is that those of us who did all the right things, like worked hard, paid off our debts, and saved our money, will have an increase in our home rates to subsidize those with bad credit scores. Sound familiar?

It should; this is the same thing California is doing with its electricity fees and is a chip off the old World Economic Forum block. The WEF is the same group of unelected international bureaucrats that brought us the phrase “you will own nothing, and be happy” through ridiculous damaging ideas such as:

  • eating bugs
  • 15 minutes cities
  • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) business strategies

What is WEF’s and all these well-to-do politicians and bureaucrats have in common? Their ultimate goal which is control and power.

It’s time to pull the plug on these hare-brained ideas, or we will soon find ourselves living by candlelight and enjoying an evening meal of earthworms and beetles.

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USAF Retired, Bronze Star recipient, outspoken veteran advocate. Hot mess mom to two monsters and wife to equal parts... More about Kathleen J. Anderson

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