(The Center Square) – Legislation that would provide large subsidies for power hookup to Washington industries focusing on alternative energy options cleared the state House Thursday, but not before passionate testimony was provided in opposition to giving subsidies to some, while raising costs on everyone else.
“The road to inflation and the lack of affordability, like the road to hell, is paved with good intentions,” said Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, during House floor debate.
HB 1302 would allow local governments to waive certain utility connection charges, shifting those costs elsewhere in the system.
Rep. Julio Cortes, D-Everett, is the prime sponsor, and in a Thursday floor speech he said encouraging industry leaders to focus on clean energy is about saving the environment.
“We all know that our environmental health is facing some major challenges. Thankfully, there are a lot of really great organizations which are working on alternative energy options, energy saving opportunities and innovative ways,” said Cortes.
The bill, if it becomes law, would add a tool for local municipalities who choose to or have the ability to waive utility connection charges for green technologies, hoping to engage in industrial symbiosis.
“Symbiosis clusters organizations together, so they can use each others waste for their own product production,” he said.
Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, rose to speak against the bill, suggesting Republicans would be mixed on the final vote because it creates “an uneven playing field.”
“The incentives involve connection charges, and many of those connection charges can be quite high,” Dye said, noting those charges can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“You’re creating an incentive for one kind of thing and still maintaining the connection charges for everyone else. So, it’s somewhat of a thumb on the scale,” Dye said.
Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, expressed the same concern and told The Center Square in a Friday interview the bill is an example of how far off base Democrats are when it comes to their claims about ‘affordability” being paramount this session.
“We’re going to be focused on affordability for all Washingtonians,” said Deputy Majority Leader Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, in a Tuesday media availability giving an overview of majority Democrats priorities.
“We hear people talk a lot about affordability. So, what is affordability? Affordability means limiting the increase in the cost of things so that ordinary people can pay their way to live, and eat, have a house and heat their house, have a vehicle without having to have the government or someone else give them money to live.”
Walsh said the left in Olympia has warped the meaning of affordability.
“So, it means the government pays for things for people. The problem is the government doesn’t have any of its own money to give people to live. All the government has is the people’s money.”
Walsh told TCS he can understand that some legislators want to encourage industrial development, “but it definitely runs up the cost and utility services for customers who are going to end up paying more. And it struck me that nobody was acknowledging this burden on the other consumers. We never talk about that part of subsidies.”
Seventeen Republicans voted in support of the bill, along with every Democrat, excepting one member who was excused; 21 Republican members voted against 1302, which was not enough to prevent the bill from passing the House.
It now moves to the Senate where on Friday it received a first reading, and was referred to the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee.