Power plant would weigh on taxpayers

Do increased government regulations, fee hikes and government handouts to special interests sound familiar? Less than a week after the November elections in which the voters had clearly expressed their disgust with out-of-control government taxing and spending, some members of the Illinois General Assembly began planning to seek a massive electric rate hike on businesses and residents to pay for an experimental power plant.

Illinois' state government is moving to pass legislation that would grant a massive handout to an out-of-state power interest — a deal that would cost taxpayers billions and damage the state's economy. Tenaska, a Nebraska-based power company, is asking Illinois taxpayers to pay for the construction of one of its unproven, potentially risky power plants. Even worse, it is demanding that the state government force consumers to buy its overpriced electricity and that our state's businesses pay for the higher regulated prices.

The legislation, Illinois Senate Bill 2485, will increase electric utility bills in Illinois by at least $286 million annually. Simply put, this is bad public policy. Contact your state senator and ask him or her to vote “no” on SB 2485. Tell him or her you can't afford to pay higher utility bills.

Joe Calomino

State director, Illinois

Americans for Prosperity

Chicago