An update on the ethics complaint against Senator Faith Winter. Got a smart meter? Get ready for higher prices. Free State Colorado and Menten do a video update on property taxes.
An update on the ethics complaint against Senator Faith Winter.
The senate is moving ahead with the ethics complaint about state senator Faith Winter after she sloshed (poured?) her way into a meeting. Senate President Fenberg sat on this one a good long time until the City of Northglenn fin
ally raised enough of a stink to get him to move.
The complaint centers on a meeting where Senator Faith Winter sloshed (poured?) her way up to the mic and appeared to be as tight as a jug.
The ethics panel will be chaired by beyond-progressive state senator Julie Gonzales, and will have a mix of two more Democrat state senators and two Republicans (Coleman, Roberts, Lundeen, and Gardner).
Call me a cynic, and I hope that I'm proven wrong, but I have the feeling that the category "Senator" will win out here. That is, that they'll make sure to take care of their own regardless of party.
I suppose we'll see. The hearing will be public, but no date is set yet. If I hear more, I'll update again.
https://www.cpr.org/2024/06/05/faith-winter-ethics-complaint-investigation/
Got a smart meter from Xcel? Get ready to dig deep into your pockets and bring up more green.
According to the article below, those that have smart meters from Xcel will be paying up to 3 times more for electricity use during "peak hours" (3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays) from June 3 to September.
The idea behind this, according to Xcel, is to help incentivize doing things with electricity during times other than those of peak load to reduce strain on the grid.
Love the Xcel Energy spokesman's spinning like a top here (quoting the article):
"Holder [Andrew Holder, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy] told Denver7 the time of use rate for customers with smart meters, 'allows our electric customers to have the freedom of choice to ensure that they can meet their energy usage and use their energy as efficiently and as effective as possible,' adding that Xcel Energy customers will be able to better understand their energy usage and 'how their energy consumptive habits can change and how there’s a financial incentive if they do move it off-peak hours.'”
I think if I could choose, I'd rather just pay less. Matter of fact, when they start bringing them things, the smart meters, to my neighborhood, I'm going to opt for the dumb meter. I'll have to pay an extra flat rate, but I'll do that and not worry about time of use pricing.
I can't help but wonder if, in addition to incentivizing changing consumer habits, part of what we're after here is conditioning us to accept Xcel throttling its output, conditioning us for future "demand management" (a strategy I have seen in a lot of modeling for how our grid can continue to function once our glorious transition away from fossil fuels becomes reality).
Like I say above, I'll pass.
https://www.denver7.com/money/consumer/xcel-customers-with-smart-meters-will-start-paying-more-for-electricity-starting-monday
Property Tax Updates
Mr. Wark from Free State Colorado did an interview with Natalie Menten to update about the current property tax situation here in the state.
What I like about the video is that it compares/contrasts the latest efforts out of the state legislature as well as upcoming ballot measures that you get to vote on.
Worth a watch/listen.