Everyone knows that Gov. Charlie Crist's call for a special session on offshore oil drilling is pure politics. The issue gives Crist and lawmakers a high-profile platform to grandstand on an issue that inspires little debate.
The real money play is on Agenda Item No. 2: renewable energy. That's where Crist & Co. expect to soak up much-coveted campaign contributions heading into the fall elections.
When the House and Senate failed to agree on a renewable-energy bill during the regular session, there was no gnashing of teeth from the governor's office. But now independent U.S. Senate candidate Crist sees an opportunity to drill for dollars that will surely come from Florida Power & Light, Progress Energy and other big investor-owned utilities.
The IOUs -- a particularly apt acronym in this case -- want to leverage state-granted green power incentives to boost their bottom lines. The House bill, for example, would have allowed the utilities to charge customers for the cost of building solar plants without advice or consent of the Public Service Commission, and raise power bills in the process.
The House proposal -- which ran into heavy opposition from Democrats, small-scale alternate-energy suppliers and even environmentalists -- never made it to the Senate floor. Senators had their own plan, but the House wasn't buying.
"Both chambers took measures to mitigate rate increase impacts to Floridians, but even then the projected costs remained a concern and the subject of much debate," said a Senate staffer.
"Additionally, the House proposal had elements that were different from the Senate proposals, so that in the waning days of session there was insufficient time to work out the differences."
And where was Crist when all this jockeying and important policy debate were going on? Nowhere to be found.
The governor, who ceaselessly cries for transparency in government, is all too transparent with his call for a special session. His commitment to sound renewable-energy policy is about as deep as the oil slick meandering off Florida's coast.
Senate President Jeff Atwater sees through Crist's populist hokum, and he's calling the governor on it.
"Before we enter a special session, which could cost taxpayers upwards of $40,000 daily, we must find common ground with our partners in the governors office and Florida House," said the North Palm Beach Republican, who is running for chief financial officer.
"I have asked Gov. Crist to submit energy legislation to us that would have minimal impact on Floridas rate-paying citizens and be mindful of the state of Floridas budget."
Touche.
Whether Crist steps up and takes a leadership role is an open question. He has failed to do so thus far. Indeed, the impetus for this oily special session came from Chief Financial Officer and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink.
On Wednesday, Crist spokesman Sterling Ivey would say only that the governor "is working with the Senate president's office. Our office is looking at the policy and continuing to be open."
In the absence of a specific plan from the state's chief executive, who, in bygone days, touted his green bona fides with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the upcoming special session will simply be a continuation of earlier horse-trading. That means more time for perennial big-spending IOUs to grease politicians for deals that may not be in the public's best interest.
The governor has objected to bills being "rammed through" the Legislature (he cited the education-reform measure, Senate Bill 6, as an example of "inmates running the asylum"). Yet Crist expects sweeping energy legislation to be hammered out in a week without any meaningful direction from his office?
Time for the governor to spell out a renewable-energy program or shut down this charade.
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
