The Tribune reported that Rocky Mountain Power would reduce its charges to ratepayers by slightly less than $3 per month as a result of the recent tax bill that funneled millions of deficit-financed tax dollars to corporations.
Rep. Chris Stewart exuberantly tweeted out this supposed benefit of the tax bill. This is risible.
As a public utility, the Utah Division of Public Utilities sets limits to RMP’s profitability and the rates it can charge. The only reason ratepayers see this decrease is because of government regulation.
Is Comcast lowering its rates after the tax cut? No. It’s using the cut for stock buybacks and dividends that help 1 percent U.S. and foreign investors.
So, is Stewart advocating government regulation of private companies’ profitability with this tweet? I suspect not; even Sen. Bernie Sanders wouldn’t go so far.
Is Stewart so dense that he doesn’t see or understand this incongruity? Or does he hold his constituents in contempt for thinking we wouldn’t recognize his deeply unserious nature?
Regardless of the reason, Utahns deserve smarter and better representatives.
Craig Buschmann, Salt Lake City