Editor’s note: This commentary is by Rep. Mark Higley, of Lowell, a Republican who represents the Orleans/Lamoille district in the Vermont House of Representatives. He is a member of the House Government Operations Committee.
[I] have tried to stay informed regarding the different memorandums of understanding (MOUs) our governor has signed on to.
There is the ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle) he signed on to with seven other states, which would put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025. In reading the MOU it lays out bold objectives with little or no estimate of the overall cost. Just one example would be that there were only incentives for owning an electric car and no mention of the loss of revenue from the gas tax and how that might be made up.
The same is true with the “Under 2 Memorandum of Understanding” that he signed on to with 11 other states. This signing agreed to limit the increase in global average temperature to 2 degrees Celsius. It calls for increased emphasis on carbon pricing or, the implementation of a carbon tax. I have mentioned in a previous article that even the Carbon Tax Center has stated how difficult it would be for an individual state to implement a carbon tax. More recently, at the Climate Summit of the Americas, he signed on with 21 other states and regional governments in supporting to fight carbon pollution.
What are the realities of these goals for my constituents and future Vermonters?
A couple of years ago when debating an energy bill in Montpelier, there was a piece included that would have created some education curriculum. This curriculum would have educated students to humans causing global warming and the need for renewable energy sources, etc. Believing all information is important to a good education, I proposed an amendment that included education around the monetary cost of renewables (including subsidies) and the cost to the environment itself. The amendment passed in the House but the whole curriculum section was removed in the Senate.
I feel when the governor alone signs on to these MOUs, the debate is not there. The governor and others talk about “doing our part to make the world safe and prosperous for our children and grandchildren.” I couldn’t agree more, but I need as much information as possible to make an informed decision. What are the realities of these goals for my constituents and future Vermonters? I need more than the statement that “we can’t afford not to do something.” There is an affordability issue here, especially when added to: health care costs, property taxes, water quality cleanup, infrastructure costs, etc.
