By Rob Lorei
Today on Radioactivity Tuesday we looked at the work that local activists are doing to promote solar energy and a livable, $15-an-hour minimum wage.
First, we spoke with Deirdre Macnab and Julie Kessel from Florida’s League of Women Voters, and local Sierra Club Member Emily Gorman about Amendment 4 on the August 30th ballot that would create tax breaks for businesses and homeowners who install solar panels. Macnab is the chair of the LWVF Solar Action Committee. Kessel and Gorman are active in the St. Pete Solar co-op, which is engaging people to join together to lower the cost of purchasing solar systems for their homes.
Then we look the local fight for a $15-an-hour minimum wage. This past weekend thousands of workers from around the country held a convention in Richmond, Virginia to call for a fifteen dollar an hour minimum wage. It brought together not just activists who want a higher minimum wage in the US but also people who’ve been in the forefront of the fight for racial equality. Our guests were Phyllis Lewis who is a fast food worker and Rev. Manuel Sykes from St. petersburg. Both attended the convention in Richmond, Virginia.
2 Responses to “Florida Solar Amendment Up for a Vote Right Now and the Fight for a $15 an Hour minimum Wage”
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Tax breaks for homeowners who install solar already exist so Amendment 4 won’t benefit homeowners. Amendment 4 is nothing but a Trojan Horse that will let the overpriced solar leasing and power purchase agreement companies into the state of Florida so they can take the 30% Federal tax credit away from homeowners while collecting 20 years worth of escalating lease payments.
Don’t fall for the overpriced solar leasing company’s gimmicks. Buy your solar system instead from a fair market priced solar dealer and vote NO on amendment 4 and keep the high priced solar leasing companies out of Florida.
The tax break for homeowners has already been heavily sold by ignorant or unscrupulous, seemingly helpful people and groups, to the voter.
“Vote yes in August (Amendment 4) and no in November”. The November vote referring to the Florida utilities amendment to subvert solar power for households.
The same has happened to the leasing of electric cars that have a large federal tax benefit. The lease company gets the tax break. Something like $8,000 in the case of the Nissan Leaf? Hopefully, some of this tax subsidy is passed to the car buyer. Resulting in more clean, quiet electric vehicles in use.