The Tuesday Count: Diverse coalition backs “solar choice” initiative in Florida

February 17, 2015

Edited by Ryan Byrne

It's not every day that the tea party movement and the Sierra Club join hands, but a recent push for personal solar energy production in the American South has encouraged an alliance. The drive has come to a head in Florida, where Floridians for Solar Choice is now collecting signatures for a Right to Produce and Sell Solar Energy Initiative. Meanwhile, opponents of a major league soccer stadium have successfully repelled the MLS without their initiative even needing to go up for a vote. In Chicago, voters will see a number of advisory questions on their February 24 ballots.

Environmentalists, libertarians and Christian Coalition push solar choice initiative in Florida:

An initiative campaign promoting "solar choice" is off to a strong start in Florida. Floridians for Solar Choice collected about 100,000 signatures during the first month of the group's petition drive, with the goal of getting a Right to Produce and Sell Solar Energy Initiative on the November 8, 2016 ballot. The signatures are likely to require the Florida Supreme Court to review the initiative petition, a mandatory step in the state's initiative process.

The ballot measure, upon voter approval, would provide businesses and individuals with a constitutional right to produce up to two megawatts of solar power and sell that power directly to others at the same or contiguous property. This right would be secured by limiting the government's and electrical utilities' abilities to impose barriers, like special rates and fees, to supplying local solar electricity. Currently, only utilities can sell electricity, no matter the source, directly to consumers.

Floridians for Solar Choice, the organization leading the campaign, has garnered support from individuals and organizations who, on many other issues, are opposed to each other. The supporting coalition, which includes the likes of the Christian Coalition of America, Libertarian Party of Florida and Sierra Club Florida, was described by John Roberts of Fox News as a "Green Tea Coalition," alluding to environmentalists and the tea party movement. Steve Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said, "It is strange bedfellows. We all agree we want a free market [for solar energy]. As long as we don't talk about a lot of other issues, we'll be fine."

Just because Floridians for Solar Choice has formed a big tent coalition, victory isn't necessarily certain. According to the Tampa Bay Times, utilities are likely to oppose the initiative. There's concern that as more businesses and households implement personal solar production, more pressure will be put on low-income energy consumers to maintain power plants, lines and the electrical grid. While Floridians for Solar Choice had an impressive first month, the group still needs a total of 683,149 valid signatures by February 1, 2016.

Local spotlight

File:City of Chicago Seal.svg

Chicago voters to see campaign finance reform advisory question, among others, on February 24 ballot along with crowded city council races:

Along with the 185 candidates vying for the 50 city council seats, Chicago voters will see various advisory referendums on their ballots a week from today. Three citywide advisory questions were put on the ballot, with a "Fair Elections" question creating the most hype by proposing the use of public funds to finance campaigns and strict limits on large political donations. The other two citywide questions ask about mandatory paid sick leave and a counseling requirement for city employees convicted of domestic violence.

There are also several other advisory questions on ballots in specific city wards, including questions about elected Chicago school board members, the transportation and handling of petroleum coke, and a Tax Increment Financing advisory council.

After anti-stadium petitioners win court decision, Major League Soccer pulls out of Las Vegas soccer deal:

Proponents of a Las Vegas initiative to shut down a soccer stadium proposal partially achieved their goal before the measure was even officially scheduled for an election. Shortly after petitioners won a key court case, Major League Soccer (MLS) officials announced their intention to abandon the D.C. United expansion franchise in Las Vegas, putting a stop to the proposed $200 million, 24,000-seat downtown soccer stadium as well. MLS Commissioner Don Garber cited uncertainty about when and if the plans for a stadium would actually move forward as the reason for the cancellation of the soccer franchise deal and said MLS would not consider Las Vegas for a franchise again until after 2018. The uncertainty was caused largely by the initiative effort against the stadium project, and the announcement triggered strong responses from both proponents and opponents of the anti-stadium initiative.

Other measures in the news

• Pennsylvania Judicial Retirement Age Amendment (2015): If the Pennsylvania Senate approves the measure one more time, it will be headed to voters in November.
• Florida Acupuncture Healthcare Coverage Initiative (2016): Acupuncture for Florida forms to push initiative providing for health insurance coverage of basic acupuncture treatment.
• Hawaii Lower Voting Age to Sixteen Amendment (2016): Amendment introduced to lower the qualifying voting age from 18 to 16 for state and local elections in Hawaii.
• New Mexico Marijuana Legalization Amendment (2016): Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino's (D-12) amendment to legalize recreational marijuana was approved by the New Mexico Senate Rules Committee.

See also

2015 ballot measures

Tuesday Count • 2015 Scorecard

• Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2015
• 2015 ballot measures
• Local ballot measure elections in 2015