The Ohio Chamber and Industrial Energy Users Ohio co-sponsored the 18th annual MEC Energy Conference this week in Columbus, bringing together over 600 attendees, presenters, and guests. This conference is one of the foremost energy conferences in the state. Ohioans for Sustainable Jobs, a coalition which includes the Ohio Chamber, launched two new items during the conference that help show the need for reasonable reforms to Ohio’s energy policy, like those contained in Senate Bill 58.
Ohioans for Sustainable Jobs developed the mandate tax calculator to help educate customers, both residential and commercial, on the actual costs that they pay for hidden, mandated taxes. Few Ohioans know what portion of their monthly electricity bill goes towards an energy efficiency and a renewable energy mandate and the calculator allows consumers to easily plug in usage information from their bill to really see how energy mandates affect their costs. Enacted into law in 2008, these mandates, while currently at a low level, will continue to grow until they reach their maximum by 2025.
The coalition also released a report by renowned economist Dr. Johnathan A. Lesser who found that Ohioans have already paid close to one billion dollars for these mandates. These mandates are still in their infancy—can you imagine how much we’ll be paying by the time they are full grown in 2025? Furthermore, Dr. Lesser said that at best these mandates save consumers save 37 cents on their monthly energy bill. This means consumers are paying five to 10 times more than any possible benefit.
However, there is something you can do to help combat these growing mandates. Contact your legislator and tell them now is the time to pass meaningful reforms to Ohio’s energy policy, like those contained in SB 58!