Values solar provides

My husband and I are both senior citizens, and our decision to install solar on our westside home about a year and a half ago was not an easy one. It was an extremely expensive investment and we will not live long enough to realize the complete benefit of that decision. But — our commitment to the community, to clean air, to public health and to our children and grandchildren’s future led our choice.

Our rooftop solar panels lower the cost for everybody, by reducing the need for additional expensive infrastructure or new transmission lines or power plants. Net metering ensures that we are fairly credited for the energy we provide to the grid, a grid which we also help strengthen. We have been delighted with our solar system. We worked with a wonderful local team and through them helped support important local jobs.

The CSU claim about shifting costs doesn’t represent the whole picture, it only reflects one aspect and doesn’t consider any of the values that solar provides. It’s not fair to punish those of us who have installed solar panels based on consideration of only a portion of the data, ignoring the savings.

Net metering should be protected. Folks like us who have made our investment had a commitment from CSU that we would be fairly compensated for the energy we send back to the grid for the good of our neighbors. We deserve to be recognized, not penalized, so that we can continue contributing to a resilient energy future for the community that is equitable, affordable, and clean.

Patti Freudenburg

Colorado Springs

Flimflammed once again

Regarding the recent article on Colorado increasing EV rebates, do y’all remember when the 27 cent surcharge mysteriously started appearing on all of your home deliveries? It was in July of 2022 and has since been increased to 28 cents per delivery. By no means is this a fee; it is just another tax pushed down our throats by the legislature in Denver. They justified this tax by promising the money would be used to improve our roads. Specifically, they said the revenue would be utilized to “help fund the state’s transportation infrastructure”.

Well, guess what? The money is not being used to repair roads. We have been flimflammed once again. A large portion of this tax revenue ($25.6 million) has now been earmarked to pay for larger rebates on the purchase of electric vehicles. That’s right, we are now paying a “fee” that goes directly to people who purchase an EV. Since it’s a fee, can we all opt out now? I personally choose not to subsidize EV purchases in Colorado.

I have heard that Governor Jared Polis is a pretty smart guy. The problem is he thinks everyone else is dumb. If EVs are here to stay, as he claims, then why are subsidies even needed? Can’t wait for this tax-and-spend dictator to be out of office!

Chase Vendl

Colorado Springs

I don’t understand why Congress is getting paid while some federal employees are not being paid during the shutdown.

I don’t understand why the Democrats want illegal immigrants to have some medical benefits such as emergency room access. Seems as if there are free clinics available to everyone, no matter their status. And of course, illegal immigrants can pay for health care out of pocket.

I don’t understand why the Democrats can’t vote for this continuing resolution. After all, they voted for a C.R. 13 times while Joe Biden was in office.

I don’t understand why our governing bodies have devolved in political theater more times than not.

As an aside, a little reported fact is that while some federal employees are not collecting a paycheck during the shutdown, they will be paid once the government opens back up. One could claim that these employees are getting extra vacation time on the taxpayer’s dime!

Has our country come to the sad fact that we often are no longer able to engage with people with whom we differ respectfully? “When people stop talking that’s when you get violence, that’s when civil war happens. Because you start to think the other side is so evil …” Charlie Kirk

Bill Crow

Larkspur

Bridges to nowhere

The Department of Energy has announced the cancellation of $500 million in awards to projects in Colorado. Thank goodness. These cancellations have nothing to do with retribution, the government shutdown, or red vs blue states. These Colorado cancellations are a fraction of the cancellations of 321 awards for 223 projects totaling $7.56 billion throughout the US previously granted by the Biden administration.

The cancellations are the result of a thorough economic and technical review by the DOE. The cancelled projects were uneconomic, technically lacking or had no or inconsequential benefits to the climate. Basically, bridges to nowhere. Of the 321 financial awards terminated, fully 26% were awarded by Biden between Election Day and Inauguration Day. Those awards alone were valued at over $3.1 billion.

We should celebrate a government department making rational, data-based decisions to the benefit of taxpayers. To say more of this type of critical thinking is required in government is an understatement recognizing taxpayers are already on the hook for over $37 trillion in debt.

 Robert Duenckel

Colorado Springs