Comments on: Center for American Progress Weighs in on HOME STAR http://www.efficiencyfirst.org/blog/2010/03/01/center-for-american-progress-weighs-in-on-home-star/ Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:25:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Wayne Mackey http://www.efficiencyfirst.org/blog/2010/03/01/center-for-american-progress-weighs-in-on-home-star/comment-page-1/#comment-357 Wayne Mackey Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:22:30 +0000 http://www.efficiencyfirst.org/blog/?p=759#comment-357 In my original proposal, "Greener American Homes initiative" to The White House last October, I also suggested that any new leglislation of this kind should also include a small business component of equal or greater value. In Pennsylvania we have seen an alarming number of small businesses struggling to pay for their electricity to operate. Locally, here in Chambersburg, for instance, the Chambersburg Cold Storage Company stated that if they are not able to get some relief from higher electric utility bills, they will likely have to close their doors by 2012. That means local jobs. And, they are not alone. On January 1, 2010, the Electric Utility Rate Caps have come off here in many pats of the state exposing small businesses and homeowners to a 40% hike in their electric utility bills. Just this past weekend, our Borough of Chambersburg Electric Department made it known that on April 1, 2010 we will see, yet another, 5% to 15% increase on top of that. Recognizing that this trend will more and likely continue well into the future, wouldn't it be prudent to include small businesses in any current leglislation. After, all, they create 80% of all jobs in this great country of ours. They are increasingly facing more and more competition from our overseas markets, not to mention the fact that they pollute twice as much as do our homes. Therefore, is there anyone out there who is willing to step up and do the right thing, and reach out to the real job creators and offer them some of the same kinds of rebates that are now being considered for the homeowners? Call it "Small Business Star". Talk about stimulating the economy! In my original proposal, “Greener American Homes initiative” to The White House last October, I also suggested that any new leglislation of this kind should also include a small business component of equal or greater value. In Pennsylvania we have seen an alarming number of small businesses struggling to pay for their electricity to operate. Locally, here in Chambersburg, for instance, the Chambersburg Cold Storage Company stated that if they are not able to get some relief from higher electric utility bills, they will likely have to close their doors by 2012. That means local jobs. And, they are not alone.

On January 1, 2010, the Electric Utility Rate Caps have come off here in many pats of the state exposing small businesses and homeowners to a 40% hike in their electric utility bills. Just this past weekend, our Borough of Chambersburg Electric Department made it known that on April 1, 2010 we will see, yet another, 5% to 15% increase on top of that.

Recognizing that this trend will more and likely continue well into the future, wouldn’t it be prudent to include small businesses in any current leglislation. After, all, they create 80% of all jobs in this great country of ours. They are increasingly facing more and more competition from our overseas markets, not to mention the fact that they pollute twice as much as do our homes.

Therefore, is there anyone out there who is willing to step up and do the right thing, and reach out to the real job creators and offer them some of the same kinds of rebates that are now being considered for the homeowners? Call it “Small Business Star”. Talk about stimulating the economy!

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