You can't judge a book by its cover, or a proposed law by its title.
The Illinois Clean Jobs Bill is brought to you by legislators whose previous laws have helped to destroy jobs in Illinois. Why would anyone believe that this latest bill would be any different? Because it has the word “jobs” in it?
It also has the word “clean” in it. Since when has something really clean come out of Springfield? The only two honest, accurate words in the bill's title are “Illinois” and “bill.”
Supporters say it will reduce electricity usage by 20 percent over the next decade and create 32,000 jobs. They might as well pick the Bears to win the next Super Bowl. They have no idea how much the law will reduce electricity usage or if it will actually increase it.
What it will do, or try to do, is promote wind and solar projects by mandating that more power come from renewable sources. How this will help citizens is unclear. How it will help the favored few who secure contracts to “play green” is obvious.
The bill will also establish a state carbon exchange market, and you can guess whom that will benefit.
The bill's supporters include the Illinois Citizens Utility Board (CUB). There's another choice title. Citizens, eh?
Are you a member of the board, a member of the CUB club? Do you know anyone who's a member? Is the board representing us, or targeting us?
Maybe it's called the Citizens Utility Board because it's paid for by us citizens. CUB is a tax-exempt organization established by the Illinois General Assembly at the urging of then-activist Pat Quinn. During Quinn's tenure as governor, it received $1.5 million in state grants. This at a time when vital services were being cut back because of budgetary constraints.
It's time for us bored citizens to wake up and take our government back.