Public Utility District And Consumer Demands

The Concern over the cost of electric continues to be at the forefront of the cost of living debate in Connecticut. Yesterday I met with an executive at Countrywide Financial who indicated that foreclosures in Milford have reached a record 350 with nearly 80% of the city mortgaged. Already declining real estate values have been impacting home equity lines of credit by having lenders either cancel them completely or reduce the amount by which can be drawn.

When I asked what advice he had for fixing these issues he said Connecticut needs living wage jobs and curbs on the cost of energy. There are too many Milford residents that are struggling and are in danger of losing their home. The news on Wall Street last week has also been disappointing with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae reaching new lows, lows so low that over 90% of their stock value has been lost in a year.

Should these two lending giants drop out of the lending arena, banks will have to issue their own in-house loans and reduce their risk to depositors by only writing loans to individuals with high credit scores. When I asked what the new magic number was, he indicated that would be somewhere between 740 and a 760 FICO score. Essentially this score would exclude 80-85% of all potential lenders. This is what has been dubbed as the "Credit crunch," and is going to pose some serious challenges for commission based professional dependent on loans being written to purchase property, build additions and conduct repairs.

On the local front, and specifically dealing with the energy issue alone, I have spoken with and written to some of our local leaders. I would like to add my concern that Jim Amann's last two legislative updates both ignored UI and the high cost of energy, this is even after I took issue with him after receiving the last 2007 legislative update. Not that I am a Rell fan but she has a "One Thing" program, what does Amann have or propose?

So far all I have seen from the Dem's, (and I single them out because all our elected state leaders in town are Democrats,) is one person looking to "condemn" the electric company and the other just completely ignores the issue, besides Slossberg "fighting the hike" where is the leadership?

I think you need to look at the UI situation like a bad marriage between us the ratepayers and them the monopoly. This is clearly an abusive relationship with UI as the abuser. We either need to fix the relationship or get a divorce from this company. Energy companies are a “dime a dozen” and the taxpayers have a real attractive “grid.” We do not need to take their abuse they produce nothing, since the 1999 deregulation they have become nothing more than brokers or middle men. Why can't we buy energy directly without having it marked up and resold to us? This was my question to Mike Brown who is a member of the Democratic Town Committee who responded to this question by making the following partisan statement:


"The Crux of the Situation: Government control of transmission and distribution, as indicated in the resolution, would require the establishment of a Public Utility District (PUD). This is the case throughout the country and is required by federal law. The PUD would manage the distribution of electricity. A government run district would be more inclined to promote reasonable energy development, conservation, and renewable generating methods. PUD's are nonprofit entities and are run by an elected board - elected by the citizens, not a shareholder in Texas.

And as for government control, would you let the State Government control the public highways? Oh, that's right, they already do - a very big "lemon aide stand" in deed (to quote Scott Willey). Apparently there are things called public libraries, also run by the government. Willey's rhetoric is right out of the Republican playbook. The Republicans say that "government doesn't work" and "government is bad." They often prove this once they get into power. Here in Milford, we suffered through 18 years of Republicans running the government - badly."

To conclude this post, I cannot emphasise more strongly that this is not an issue that we can afford to be partisan on. A solution must be found to benefit the thousands of struggling families trying to make ends meet. I believe that partisan politics will only prolong this problem and I am making a plea to all our Representatives here in town and the state to get on the same page. When we all agree miracles can happen!

Gov. Says Saving Energy Takes Just "One Thing"

Governor Rell here in our state has launched a energy saving campaign some time ago called "One Thing" while the name can be cathchy I recently discovered that some people did not exactly know what this "one thing" was.

This blog today will hopefully make it clear as to the intentions behind the Governors campaign, now featured on highway billboards, newspapers, and just about everywhere you could get the word out. The purpose of the campaign is to promote energy conservation here in our state.

It does not take an expert to open an electric bill look at the amount due for just 30 days and realize something is alarmingly wrong, high energy expenses in Connecticut has already crippled our economy, and contributed to a boom in foreclosures. Rep. Cafero said Connecticut is ranked 50th out of 50 states, dead last, for being the least favorable state in America to conduct business in. Our leaders in Hartford for the first time in a long time are showing signs that our state finances are unraveling as a result, and the state is now taking on new debt and being forced into spending its surplus money.

The "One Thing" program asks you and your family to practice energy conservation, Rell believes that if every person in the state turned off one or two lights each day that would be over one million lights out, over the course of a year this could add up to billions of lights out saving an enourmous amount of energy.

By simply turning off a light each day you are helping your family save on energy, helping the environment by reducing greenhouse gas, and helping others by reducing demand for energy. Reduced demand will make future energy more affordable.

Turning off our lights is not a matter of "cheapness or stinginess" but rather an issue of "ignorance and selfishness" on the part of those who wrecklessly disregard others or trivialize the true impact a person can have on the environment.

Rell's program, is just a start and I personally believe that it is a great program if we follow it. Please talk to your family and kids about energy conservation and get as many as you can onboard. See the "One Thing" Website.

Heat Wave Bakes Milford

Today and yesterday were bad days to try and discredit global warming. The temperature here in town soared to a record 98 Degrees and our towns kids were dripping in sweat as they sat in classrooms without air conditioning.

Our staff contacted the school superintendent and expressed concern over the extreme heat, especially after several schools either let their students out early or just took the day off all together.

Milford's Superintendent, Polanski said he spent a good part of his day walking around asking teachers and students how they were coping with the extreme heat. He gave an encouraging report, indicating that the kids and teachers were doing well.

This, however was not what some of the local kids said to me at the bus stop this morning. The consensus was that only two classrooms they were aware of had air conditioning, and they said that during their final exams they found the heat a to be a major distraction to their testing.

When I mentioned that I called their Superintendent to express their concern, one student sarcastically replied, "easy for him to say that, his office is one of the few that has air conditioning."

Parents expressed concern over the fact that the schools were even open at all during this excessively hot day, some did not understand why the school could not afford air conditioning in such extreme weather; at the very least it should be turned on in the event of an emergency.

The high cost of energy, combined with crippling property tax increases, declining ED funding and forced cutbacks to save our teachers jobs, in my opinion is what has led to this bad situation. Some time ago I wrote a blog stating that just this would happen if the city and state did not initiate a conservation program, and begin to install solar panels and budget friendly technologies in our city buildings.

A energy conservation expert at TriCity said that if the city abandoned its current technology in favor of geothermal heat pumps alone, this would cut the cities energy consumption by nearly 1/3 shortly after it get turned on. The problem is not recognizing the merit of this technology, it is getting the city to come up with money to begin installing it. If they do not do it now, then over the next decade they will have paid for it just through the current inefficient system.

Gov. May Suspend The Increase In The Gas Tax

The tax in Connecticut is known as the Gross Receipts tax, and Governor Rell has called its timing "not good." The increase in this tax was proposed some time ago before the current energy crisis and seemed like a good idea. The money was supposed to be used to make improvements to the public transportation system that is now reaching full capacity during peak hours.

The tax was expected to go up from 7% to 7.5%. This would have marked an increase of yet another 3 or 4 cents per gallon. Governor Rell who told the legislature that she cannot control the price of oil or what goes on in the world market, has merely relayed our concerns to federal leaders in Washington.

The problem now becomes what will the state do to address “the Office of Policy and Management who advised Governor Rell that the next fiscal year - which begins July 1 - was projected to face a shortfall of about $150 million." The increase on the gas tax was expected to regain 25 Million of that loss.

There were few critics of the Governors plan, except for one person. According to Christine Stuart a reporter at the state capitol "Jonathan Pelto, a former state legislator turned public relations specialist, said in an email that already the gross receipts tax is bringing millions more into the state than initially anticipated in 2007 when the current state budget was passed.

He said when the legislature passed the budget it expected to bring in $287 million in 2008 and $311 million in 2009 on the gross receipts tax. Because the tax is a percentage of the wholesale price of gasoline, the budget estimates were based on the wholesale price of gas at $2.41. He said today the wholesale price of gas is $3.40, which means it will bring in at least $53 million more than expected this year.

“Even if gas prices don’t increase at all from this point forward—the most basic simplistic assessment reveals that in FY 09, the General Fund will not receive the $311 million (that was projected last June) but will actually receive well over $410 million,” Pelto said in an emailed statement titled, “Reality Check on Gas Tax Issue.”

The people of our state are already burdened with the highest gas prices in America, Connecticut is losing business and trucking companies are going under. The entire recreational boating industry has also been impacted negatively and there appears to be no relief in sight.

The federal government appears to be imposing new energy and greenhouse gas regulations that are only going to impede the price of gas further. The quagmire we are now in is so desperate that analysts at "Goldman Sachs" are expecting oil to reach as high as $150-$200 a barrel.

Congress thus far has threatened a lawsuit against OPEC, ostracized the top executives at the big oil companies, is attempting to bar speculative investors in oil, and in a chilling cliche imposed strict environmental standards that prevent the exploration of oil in our own country. Clearly our country appears to be paralyzed by its own internal strife between consumers and environmentalists.

The question here remains is whether or not our state truly did receive all that extra cash, or did Connecticut just break even due to people driving less? I have no knowledge of Peto's assessment relative to consumer driving habits in this high price environment. If consumers are like the typical people I know, then they have indeed cut back on driving, as many local gas station operators have also suggested has happened. The immutable laws of supply and demand also apply to the state and Connecticut should be aware that raising gas prices will push consumers into energy conservation that will result in even less sales revenue and higher future taxes.

All it takes is for one to look out their own window and see the surge in 30+ MPG cars, and the decline of the SUV now worth less than ever before. Ford has even indicated that their gas guzzlers, like bad mortgages are "upside down" time to pay attention to the big picture, and not "band aid" holes in the budget.

The problem is difficult, but solvable through innovative means in these troubling times, including a serious effort to eliminate government waste and questionable jobs and departments.

Grid Nears Completion In Milford's Eisenhower Park

All of last week a small helicopter was buzzing my neighborhood pulling wire to complete the final construction of the second and very large electrical grid tower. These towers standing at nearly 120 feet high are strung with two pairs of wire strewn cross eight points.

This power grid is built with the taxes we all pay on our electric bills in conjunction with state and federal assistance and is hoped to save us the consumer money on our future electric bills. We were told this would happen by allowing our state to be more competitive in markets beyond our own.

The entire project has cost billions, and stretches for 75 miles. All cables after the Stratford bridge go underground at the highest expense, and at the consequence of local residential communities having their streets torn apart all through Fairfield County.

The project contractor has been giving local residents near the project pamphlets. These pamphlets are left on peoples doors as the work progresses. In my neighborhood alone those living near the razed areas have been less than happy with the aftermath of the gravel dumping, bulldozing, and un-natural structures that have clearly marred countless views.

A neighbor of mine indicated that the old grid was built using "natural materials, rested below the tree line, and possessed fewer lines. These new ones are more akin to an industrial cold and impersonal steel megalith. Hardly a pretty sight, and I certainly can see the before and after."

The good news is that someone has been somewhat concerned about our watershed, and the Army Corp of Engineers just completed a 4-5 acre drainage site at Eisenhower Park. This is our towns 350 acre nature preserve.

In personally visiting that site it appeared to be constructed on schedule and exactly as the town committee indicated it would be constructed. There is currently water in it along with an extensive fence around it. The purpose of this site is a drainage area that offsets the induced construction damage to the wetlands. The Eisenhower Park project is touted as an improvement boasting more drainage capacity even in the off chance of river flooding. Click HERE for minutes of this meeting.

To conclude this Blog I will say that I am thrilled that this project is rapidly approaching its final stage and conclusion, I now only hope and pray that it will deliver everything we were told prior to its construction and the natural landscape will be allowed to return.

(The above photo is an arial view of Eisenhower Park. At the center is a tan brown diagonal strip indicating how much razing took place while cutting through a natural area.)

Lights Off From 8:00P.M To 9:00P.M

Tonight is Earth Hour, watch the video for its important environmental purpose.

Pentagon Patents May Contain The Solution To U.S. Oil Crisis

Whenever I hear mention of my agenda's UFO comment, it makes me laugh. It is a reminder of the "selective reception", and "selective perception" of some folks in the general public who think I am talking about reptilian creatures from Mars.

In my extensive agenda there is a one line mention that I am an avid supporter of the "Freedom of Information Act." even if that includes "outlandish things" like UFO's or Unidentified Flying objects, not "Martians or Aliens from space."

This is a position I took after learning about John F. Kennedy and his concern over political secrecy. JFK said that in order for a government to be trustworthy it needs to be "Transparent" and that "Secrecy is repugnant in a free society." This was also repeated by Eisenhower, and numerous other elected officials. Jimmy Carter also had a position and a belief on the subject of political secrecy.

Although my opinion is not exactly the same, I am against almost all secrecy in government. I am also a Mason of which is a secret society but unlike our government it is a open fraternity of which anyone can join. But I assure the general public that there is more concern to be had with the Secrecy of government agencies like the Federal Reserve System's monetary policy impacting our dollar value and our towns purchasing power.

This secrecy thing is nothing new, The Freedom of Information Act has revealed the truth about many important issues like Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin, The USS Liberty, The Atom Bomb, Human experimentation, etc.. etc..

I believe that if our government has technology that could end the global energy problem, or help stop global warming, than by all means they owe it to us by now. Even if that means calling on Skunkworks do develop a commercial application of a military energy patent.

For all you folks that may not know what this technology is, should remember that the SR71, and the F117 were both government UFO's until they decided to let us in on their secret. The same goes with the jet engine that has transformed global transportation.

I am of the opinion, that when these technologies are compared to what is buried in the Pentagons secret patent vaults, one will discover projects like the F117 are nothing more than emblematic "Tinker Toys" for our amusement.

I believe the government is suppressing technology and patents that could help with our energy independence, and for this reason alone I believe investigation, exposure and hopefully discovery will force debate on energy alternatives and fair patent laws that free us from the bondage of oil.

The craft depicted above was spotted thousands of times and is rumored (on the web) as being a government craft called the TR3B. The detail of this craft are unknown but countless photos attest to its existence as possibly a U.S. technology hopefully to be revealed soon.