(Newswire.net — October 21, 2014) Mandeville, LA — Forest Wright said today the Louisiana Public Service Commission is “dysfunctional, off track, out of touch” and putting the people of Louisiana at risk.
Wright, a candidate for LPSC District 1, announced five key priorities he will embrace to reform the LPSC, one of the state’s most powerful regulatory and law-making bodies. Wright said change at the LPSC needs to start at the top.
“I will change how the PSC functions,” Wright said. “In large part because of the failures and behavior of Chairman Eric Skrmetta, the PSC is dysfunctional, off track, out of touch and, as a result, the families and small businesses of Louisiana are at risk of higher and higher utility bills.”
Wright, who refuses to accept campaign contributions from the utility companies regulated by the PSC, said “My priorities for the PSC will get us back to the business of protecting Louisianans, and get us away from Eric Skrmetta’s distractions of unethical campaign finance practices and ignoring the will of the people on major issues.”
Restore Integrity
“My first will be to implement stronger ethics requirements at the PSC, something Eric Skrmetta has fought against– literally, from Day One when he voted against stronger ethics requirements at his first PSC meeting as a commissioner,” Wright said. “The first major step I am taking to restore ethics and integrity at the LPSC is refusing to accept campaign contributions from the big utility companies that are regulated by the agency.”
Make Energy Efficiency a Priority
“According to a recent study conducted by WalletHub.com, Louisiana is ranked as the second most energy inefficient state in the country. This ranking comes on the heals of yet another delay of an program aimed at incentivizing property owners to upgrade their homes and business to more be more energy efficient. Despite the endless positive economic implications of the programs, Eric Skrmetta and the utilities have tirelessly fought against them at every turn,” Wright said.
Transparency to End Boondoggles and Bailouts
“I will stop the practice of bailing out the big utility companies at the expense of consumers by the PSC. On Skrmetta’s watch, monopoly utility companies have been protected while the rights of individual ratepayers have been trampled on. The most egregious example of this is the boondoggle conversion of the Little Gypsy power plant, which ultimately never produced a single watt of energy and still ended up costing more that 200% more than originally approved. Eric Skrmetta bailed out Entergy by allowing them to pass on costs for the failed conversion to customers,” Wright said.
Aggressively Reduce Fees and Create Consumer Choice
“Eric Skrmetta and the utilities like to talk about low rates. They want you to forget that the rate is only the first line of your monthly bill. Skrmetta’s claims are a distortion of the truth, shamelessly dishonest, and shows a blatant disrespect for the consumer. I will address every line of utility bills and hold utilities accountable for inflated fees they charge customers to pump up their profits at the expense of families and small businesses,” Wright said. “We need to open new markets and create choice for consumers. More choice means competition and lower prices for consumers.”
Long-term Planning for Future Energy Needs
“Progress and success come when you plan your work, then work your plan. With the ever-changing nature of American energy consumption, Louisiana needs a forward thinking policy maker at the PSC. Creating more consumer choice by responsibly embracing new energy sources will lower power bills and increase our energy independence. I will fight to prepare Louisiana for the rapidly approaching future of energy consumption.
According to Wright, “Government should be a place that fosters economic growth and engenders trust amongst its citizens. By any metric, Eric Skrmetta’s commission has been an abysmal failure. Louisiana deserves better.”
Forest Wright has built a career as a policy expert and small business owner. Known as a champion for emerging industry and a fierce protector of consumer rights, Forest has worked on the front lines to bring more options and lower costs to Louisiana’s working families and businesses.
Among his many career successes, Forest Wright has launched workforce development training and incentive programs that reward customers for saving energy to reduce their monthly utility bills and promote economic growth. Wright holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Tulane University, where he met his wife Julia.
For more information, please visit forestwright.com and follow Forest on Facebook at facebook.com/ForestWrightForLPSC