Articles

Tallahassee Reports has obtained a copy of the 140 page draft report of the electric rate case study that has been discussed over the last several months. The study is highly technical and full of detailed tables. Tallahassee Reports has reviewed the information, and what follows, is an attempt to take highly technical information and [...]

With a number of locally owned businesses struggling in this depressed economy, the rally cry from business owners and government officials is “buy local.”  Shortly after the Mayor of Tallahassee started “buy local Saturday’s”, the City Commission adopted a local preference for city procurement with the goal of providing more business opportunities to locally owned [...]

As we enter the smart meter and time-of-use rates (TOU) era here in Tallahassee, and in fact, throughout the United States, the debate over who benefits more, consumers or the utilities, will be front and center for years to come.

Our recent analysis of spending on “green” programs has documented the clear priority of city leadership in achieving the “living green” dream. Green expenditures in the fiscal year 2009 budget include $10 million for smart meters, $7 million for energy conservation, and $300,000 for the creation of the green department. These 3 programs total $17,300,000 in spending in [...]

From the Wall Street Journal: Not everyone thinks smart meters are such a smart use of money. Utilities are spending billions of dollars outfitting homes and businesses with the devices, which wirelessly send information about electricity use to utility billing departments and could help consumers control energy use. Proponents of smart meters say that when [...]

The process that resulted in the approval of the $40 million smart meter program avoided “contact” with the citizens of Tallahassee at a number of critical junctures along the path to approval. A public data request by Tallahassee Reports has verified the following: The smart meter committee, organized in 2005 to evaluate the potential use of smart meters, was staffed with only [...]

The process that resulted in the approval of the $40 million smart meter program avoided “contact” with the citizens of Tallahassee at a number of critical junctures along the path to approval. A public data request by Tallahassee Reports has verified the following: The smart meter committee, organized in 2005 to evaluate the potential use of smart meters, was staffed with only [...]

In government, and in business, often times the decision to move forward with spending and investing large sums of money is based on a cost effectiveness or return on investment analysis. If the analysis shows that an investment of $1.00 will yield $1.5 in return, the policy or action is deemed to be cost effective and therefore, a [...]