State House Should Have Courage Where Senate Failed: Defend the Free Market, Reject Bill to Kill Electric Choice

Senate Bill 437 Eliminates Competition, Raises Costs on Schools, Job Makers

LANSING, MI, November 10, 2016 –Michigan Freedom Fund President Terri Reid today called on members of the state House to stand up for free-market principles and reject Senate Bill 437, after the state Senate rejected an amendment to save electric choice and advanced the costly special interest legislation to the House.

“We’re deeply disappointed that members of the Senate put two massive electric utilities’ profits above the needs of their constituents, schools, and employers,” said Reid. “Senate Bill 437 kills electric choice, abandons free market principles, will raise prices on schools and job creators, and sticks Michiganders with hundreds of millions in higher rates on their electricity. In addition to this shameful embrace of crony capitalism, the latest version also increases the government mandate for renewable energy standards to a higher level than even Jennifer Granholm signed into law.

“Michigan voters on Tuesday sent a message to the politicians that they are sick and tired of the political elites getting rich at the expense of working families, but Senate Republican leaders apparently missed the memo.”

Senate Republican leaders rejected the Ratepayer Protection Amendment, an amendment that would have saved electric choice, and kept rates low for public schools and families.

“We urge members of the House to stand up for the free market and the principles that got them elected by rejecting this handout to Big Energy and any effort to strip Michigan families of economic choices and competition,” said Reid.

Michigan Freedom Fund is a nonprofit organization run by Michiganders for Michiganders, working to advance, promote, and protect Michigan workers’ Constitutional rights. For more information, please visit www.MichiganFreedomFund.com.

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