Mayor Adler, Trendy 'Progressive' Causes, and NECESSARILY SKYROCKETING Electric Bills....

"For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,
And have not sought the Lord;
Therefore they shall not prosper,
And all their flocks shall be scattered."
Jeremiah 10:21

Let's say you're the Mayor of a MAJOR American city.  Let's say, further, that your city is suffering from an escalating property tax situation that is pricing longtime residents out of their homes.  Beyond that, let's say that the residents of your city ALREADY pay some of the highest electric rates in their state.

Considering that your citizenry (and electorate) is already tapped out financially, what would you do?!?

Apparently, for Mayor Steve Adler, the answer is to jet off to Paris and commit your city to yet another EXPLOSION in its cost of living:

Today I joined with local leaders from around the world and signed the Compact for Mayors for delivery to the United...
Posted by Austin Mayor Steve Adler on Friday, December 4, 2015

Getting past cliches, it appears the Mayor hopes to increase MANDATORY use of solar power:



Unfortunately for the Mayor, despite his cheerleading, recent data shows that solar power remains as economically uncompetitive as it's ALWAYS been:

A June study by the Institute for Energy Research shows that electricity generated from new wind farms is between two and four times more expensive than electricity from existing coal, natural gas and nuclear plants. Compared with new fossil-fuel plants, electricity from new wind farms is between 15% and 54% more expensive. As for solar, EIA data show it will continue to be significantly more expensive than competitors for at least the rest of the decade, and likely far beyond.

Then there's this gem from a pro-Solar NPR article earlier this year:

And there is one other thing that's been driving solar power - subsidies from the federal government and from many states.

If you're wondering why this sounds familiar:



Bottom Line: In 2014, voters gave the new council a clear mandate to focus on the cost of living that has increased so DRAMATICALLY the past few years.  Unfortunately, Mayor Adler's actions this week take us in the opposite direction.  For a Mayor who campaigned on "A New Way Forward," Steve Adler seems awfully committed to business as usual.