Aug 20 2008
ElectriCities Beach Party pooped on by Elizabeth City editorial
No doubt it was not ElectriCities’ intention to show how ridiculously insensitive, self-serving and out of touch elected officials can be. But by staging its annual meeting at the Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last weekend, just weeks after raising its members’ electricity rates by 14 percent, the group managed to do just that.
ElectriCities is a government agency per the legislation of NC Representative Blue and NC Senator Nesbitt. Apparently getting power directly from Progress Energy or Duke Energy is not good enough. These governments and lobbyists have decided this is the best way for them to make huge profits and outlandish salaries. They raise rates way above the rate of inflation and the actual costs of the energy to pay for parties like this one and advertising. Why does ElectriCities need to advertise?
ElectriCities has also pointed out that half the cost of the three-day conference — $175,000 — was paid for by corporate sponsors. Critics allege, however, that many of these sponsors may also be the same businesses that perform paid services for ElectriCities, so it’s in their interest to foot half the cost of what amounts to an expensive weekend getaway for public officials.
Taxpayers of the cities sending officials fund the other half of ElectriCities’ annual junket, paying approximately $500 per official in room costs and other expenses. Unlike the corporate sponsors, we’re not sure how taxpayers’ backs are being scratched by last weekend’s ElectriCities beach bash. Of course, “clawed” actually may be a more apt description, since most will be paying higher electricity costs thanks to the rate hike ElectriCities approved in June.
It is time to end the culture of corruption in North Carolina and ElectriCities is a big part of it.
