Range Wars
What to know: The left’s recent targeting of gas stoves (with bogus claims about childhood asthma) has ignited a new kind of range war.
The TPPF take: Natural gas is so inexpensive that gas ranges cost less than half as much to operate as an electric range.
“In addition to the higher costs of operation, the lowest-priced 30-inch induction stove lists at Home Depot for $1,198 compared to a 30-inch gas range at $528,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “Of course, we all know how this will play out. Should gas ranges be banned in new homes, it will only be a matter of time before gas appliances become hard to find, and then when your old reliable gas range finally gives up the ghost, it will be impossible to replace it.”
For more on gas stoves, click here.
That’ll Teach Them
What to know: The Texas Teacher Retirement System has divested itself from firms that have adopted “environmental, social and governance” (ESG) investment principles.
The TPPF take: The ESG movement is all about power, not about maximizing returns for pensioners and retirees.
“ESG investing, which could be a useful tool for individuals to make informed choices about their investments, has instead become a wrecking ball that could destroy entire industries,” says TPPF’s Jason Isaac. “The un-American agenda of the climate cartel is an affront to the principles of liberty that founded our country.”
For more on ESG, click here.
Ignore Voters at Your Own Peril
What to Know: In 2020, the city of Amarillo asked voters to approve a $275 million bond proposition to build a convention center. Voters said no. But instead of shelving the project, “the city government used a debt instrument, known as anticipation notes, to build the complex and, therefore, to overturn the will of the voters.”
The TPPF Take: Ultimately, a lawsuit stopped the city’s anti-voter scheme; but it shouldn’t take litigation for cities to respect election results. Legislative changes are needed.
“Cities have long abused nonvoter-approved debt instruments to engage in questionable activity, but the city of Amarillo’s recent actions are beyond the pale. It’s time for the Legislature to pass good government reforms that prevent future abuses and protect the will of voters from being overturned by surreptitious means,” says TPPF’s James Quintero.
For more on local debt, click here.