The Big secret is OUT! Steve Dawes has GAS!

[franksolich]

I don't know how this works in Nebraska - but I do know how the energy utilities work here in the Commonwealth.

The rates charged to consumers are set and standardized by the state, and utility companies need to petition the state to permit any change in price. That change affects all consumers equally, regardless of distribution company or the companies that supply them.

In other words, natural gas and electricity cost the same if you are in Boston, or the Berkshires, or in Lowell or the South Coast.  If you happen to have solar panels or a windmill, and generate more energy than you consume, you will get a paycheck from your distributor for exactly what it would have cost you to buy that unit of energy from them.

So, If Dawes attempted this same socialist corporate takeover event here, there would be zero net effect to the consumers.

Utility rates are regulated by the state in Nebraska too, although there's allowances for distance and fluctuations in energy prices.

As much as public utilities have worked in Nebraska, they would be a disaster in Massachusetts.

With all due respect to Massachusetts, Nebraska does not have the history and culture of political and financial chicanery that Massachusetts has.  Imagine how much easier it would be for Barney Frank & Co. to extort from a public body, as compared with a private one.....the ultimate result being that Massachusettsians would pay more for such utilities than if they remained private.

Pubic utilities would be a cash cow for corrupt Democrat politicians, the consumers be damned.

The other thing is Nebraska is a small state, and socialism can work within small groups of people.  Public utility districts in Nebraska tend to be small; in most places, the odds are likely that one's neighbor or coworker are on the board, and subject to personal pressure to keep rates down.

It's not that easy in larger places.

But again, with natural gas rates currently being low and heading lower each month (it appears), and that the 15% of Bellevue serviced by Black Hills Energy probably pays the same rates as the 85% of Bellevue serviced by the Metropolitian Utilities District (MUD) of Omaha, and that this is a state, not a city, issue, the big guy ****ed up.

[Carl]

THIS was the secret? 

[BadCat]

He may be the fattest bulb on the tree, but he's sure not the brightest one.

[thundley4]

Illinois regulates their utilities too, but each one has different rates.  Most rate increases requested by utilities get approved by the DemonRat controlled state government.

[miskie]

With all due respect to Massachusetts, Nebraska does not have the history and culture of political and financial chicanery that Massachusetts has.  Imagine how much easier it would be for Barney Frank & Co. to extort from a public body, as compared with a private one.....the ultimate result being that Massachusettsians would pay more for such utilities than if they remained private.

Pubic utilities would be a cash cow for corrupt Democrat politicians, the consumers be damned.

That would be correct - Utilities would be beaten to death for money if it were possible, and rates would certainly be 'class dependent'-the so-called 1% would pay everything to subsidize the poor communities.

[miskie]

Illinois regulates their utilities too, but each one has different rates.  Most rate increases requested by utilities get approved by the DemonRat controlled state government.

Massachusetts loves-them-some regulation - it was just recently that a SMALL amount of wiggle room had been allowed on auto insurance rates. One used to pay the rate their step demanded on compulsory auto insurance, regardless of company.

We were also unable to buy booze on Sunday until 2004.

[Carl]

Did you know 85% of Bellevue gets its natural gas from MUD?  MUD is a publicly-owned utility. It doesn’t make a profit to distribute to shareholders. That way it ensures its customers a much lower rate.

I know you will read this Steve so here is something to think about.
They probably don`t need to make a profit because they can simply tax you up the a$$ for the funds needed to maintain the distribution lines and probably a lot less efficiently then the private company does.

[franksolich]

I know you will read this Steve so here is something to think about.

They probably don`t need to make a profit because they can simply tax you up the a$$ for the funds needed to maintain the distribution lines and probably a lot less efficiently then the private company does.

I dispute the big guy's contention that those who pay to MUD pay less than those who pay to Black Hills Energy.

[franksolich]

I dispute the big guy's contention that those who pay to MUD pay less than those who pay to Black Hills Energy.

I further contend that Black Hills Energy's profits come from more-efficient use of resources, than from higher rates.

[formerlurker]

I have a question about University of Nebraska - is that a state college?    Steve's endorsement is a professor there, which makes him a state employee.   In MA public employees are forbidden to use their title in any campaign material.   

Nebraska is rather lax in the campaign regulations department, so I doubt they have a similar restriction (although they should).   

[franksolich]

Question for the big guy: if public utilities districts for natural gas are so great, how come Lincoln, the second largest city in Nebraska, doesn't have them?

How come the citizens of Lincoln, which is red but less red than Omaha, persist in using Black Hills Energy?

Lincoln's a pup compared with Omaha, but Lincoln's five times the size of Bellevue.

[Carl]

I further contend that Black Hills Energy's profits come from more-efficient use of resources, than from higher rates.

No matter,it is simply a different way of categorizing expenses and I wonder if Steve is mistaking profits for operating margin.
The price you pay the private utility is used to pay for the infrastructure and the administrative manpower.
Those things can and will be subsidized through taxation (generally via property assessment) for the public one.
No matter what socialist Steve thinks there still ain`t no such thing as a free lunch.

[franksolich]

I have a question about University of Nebraska - is that a state college?    Steve's endorsement is a professor there, which makes him a state employee.   In MA public employees are forbidden to use their title in any campaign material.

It depends upon the wording of the endorsement.

I read that one endorsement one time, and it was so boring I never checked it again.

An endorser can give his title and the place where he works, but gets into considerable trouble if he insinuates the personal endorsement is also the endorsement of the place where he works.

[formerlurker]

It depends upon the wording of the endorsement.

I read that one endorsement one time, and it was so boring I never checked it again.

An endorser can give his title and the place where he works, but gets into considerable trouble if he insinuates the personal endorsement is also the endorsement of the place where he works.

That is absolutely obscene.   A public employee should NEVER use his public title in a campaign, unless that title is from an elected office.   

[franksolich]

That is absolutely obscene.  A public employee should NEVER use his public title in a campaign, unless that title is from an elected office.

It's a delicate balance, but it balances, between the rights of an individual to speak his mind, and the reputation of the place where he works.

Back in the early 1980s, I wrote a series of "op-eds" that were printed in the Omaha World-Herald, and it was kosher that the newspaper commented I was an employee of the Nebraska Department of Health (although I never wrote about anything involving health and medicine).  Identifying one's occupation and place of employment establishes credibility for the writer.

However, if I had in the least way insinuated that I spoke for the Nebraska Department of Health, such "op-eds" would never have been printed.

[GOBUCKS]

That is absolutely obscene.   A public employee should NEVER use his public title in a campaign, unless that title is from an elected office.

It's hardly important. An endorsement from the grim, dyspeptic Marta would be just as influential.

[BattleHymn]

I. Wonder if Black Hiils will now put some money in the race.  The may find his professionally done web site. I bet they know how to get his socialistic feelings before the electorate.

https://www.blackhillsenergy.com/contact/email/  


There is even a category in their drop-down menu for 'media relations'.
 

[franksolich]

It's hardly important. An endorsement from the grim, dyspeptic Marta would be just as influential.

This is a different culture than other places which stress academic reputations.

Around here, the attitude is, "oh, the guy's a professor, whoopee shit."

Nebraskans tend to be notoriously egalitarian, as best exemplified when I turned my back on Bob Kerrey, then governor of Nebraska, at the funeral of one of my brothers.  Or that I call even "lowly" janitors "sir" and corporate executives (in person) "you."

We're just that way; "professor" carries no weight, only tells one who the specific person is.

[GOBUCKS]

Nebraskans tend to be notoriously egalitarian, as best exemplified when I turned my back on Bob Kerrey, then governor of Nebraska

Or the Secretary of the Navy. I wonder if perhaps TomInTib was a native Nebraskan.

[Freeper]

nadinbrzezinski
7. Good.

Won't ask about our spelonking friends.

Come on Nadin you can do better than that.

[franksolich]

Or the Secretary of the Navy. I wonder if perhaps TomInTib was a native Nebraskan.

Probably LC EFA, our member here from Australia, would understand the egalitarian thing better than most here.

It's not defiance of authority, or scorn of authority; it's simply pure egalitarianism, based on that to God, all are "1"s, no more, no less.  There are no ".9"s or "1.1"s to God, all are "1"s, no more, no less.

My mother was a registered nurse, as was my father.  I can find no examples of cases where my father signed his name "[name], CRNA," and only one example where my mother signed her name "[name], RN."  And these were people who signed their names tens of thousands of times in their careers.

[Big Dog]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002549068
See the bolded part. Steve needs to misuse eminent domain for the theft of property, piping and equipment to make this scheme work.

Steve's a socialist. Govt theft makes everything so much simpler. www.electstevedawes.com

How, exactly, does Steve plan to use the power of the Bellevue City Council to convince or coerce the Nebraska State Legislature to amend a state law, and why is Steve Dawes the man to make that happen?

For the answer to these and other important  questions, go to www.electstevedawes.com .

[Skul]

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)
Wed Apr 11, 2012, 08:27 PM
 Omaha Steve (31,710 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

10. Other communities want in on this
Requests for info from Gretna, and La Vista.

OS 

A bit of a stretch to use the word "communities".
A more honest statement would be "a few socialists in a couple other communities".

For a more truthful idea as to what self avowed socialist Steve Dawes believes in, visit... www.electstevedawes.com

[franksolich]

One sees the mineral oil primitive's come around to the big guy, becoming one of the big guy's good friends.

One wonders if the mineral oil primitive had something to do with www.electstevedawes.com

[Texacon]

If he's talking about what I think he's talking about then MUD would be a taxing entity.  They would in essence need to annex the area he's talking about then install their TAXES on the populace.

If that is true I wonder what the offset would be once the new taxes were considered in the figure?  Lower gas rate vs. higher tax rate ... hmmmmm

Come on Steve if the above is true what is the true figure based on the average valuation in the area?

KC