Your Opinion: Utility Surcharge would create good-paying jobs
Dear Editor:
In a previous letter, I asked the reader to imagine what it would be like if we had a total power outage similar to what occurred on board the Carnival cruise ship Triumph.
With Gina McCarthy being nominated to head the EPA, the possibility of just that happening, is becoming more and more probable.
While at the EPA as administer of the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, she sent out regulations that are totally stopping all new coal-fired, electric-generating plants. Her stated goal is to enforce the same environment regulations on existing coal plants that would cause them to shut down as meeting these regulations would be cost prohibitive for the utilities to continue to operate these plants.
I’m writing this letter, because I strongly support Senate Bill 207 and I want to thank my Sen. Mike Kehoe for leading the charge on this bill.
I think this bill is good for us because it means keeping jobs in our town and as a supplier to the electric industry, adding even more good-paying jobs. Additional jobs would mean more people spending money, more taxes for our town, and better city services.
From a business perspective, this makes a lot of sense and it’s timely. Interest rates are at historic lows and skilled labor is available.
And most importantly, the state of Missouri needs more good-paying jobs, now. I also believe this is a major step in the right direction as we try to generate a more vibrant and healthy economy. This bill allows utilities to upgrade their power grid, which is essential to attracting new businesses to the state of Missouri.
Lastly, Senate Bill 207 gives us a real opportunity to create the good-paying jobs that we desperately need while laying the groundwork for a major economic expansion.
I want to thank Sen. Kehoe again for his leadership and his efforts to create good-paying jobs.
-Steve Sampson
