April 4 — It provided testimony on Senate Bill 1100 by Sen. Dawn Buckingham, R-Lakeway. Buckingham’s bill, which was up in Senate Business & Commerce, would move Austin Energy rate appeals for city residents back under the Public Utility Commission. Then-Sen. Troy Fraser filed a similar bill four years ago when he chaired Senate Natural Resources. Municipal-owned utilities such as Austin Energy are expected to be self-run, apart from the PUC.
— Austin Business Journal
Is a policy analyst for TCAP, a coalition of cities and other political subdivisions that purchase electricity in the deregulated market for their own governmental use. Because high energy costs can impact municipal budgets and the ability to fund essential services, TCAP, as part of its mission, actively promotes affordable energy policies. High energy prices also place a burden on local businesses and home consumers.