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Dear Member of the Indiana Senate,

On behalf of National Taxpayers Union, the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, we write to express opposition to HB 1414 and urge Indiana legislators to vote no. Government should not meddle in America’s energy market by placing its thumb on the scale in favor of certain well-connected companies to the disadvantage of taxpayers.

In a free market, all energy resources should compete to provide affordable and reliable electricity. Competition in free markets benefits all consumers by lowering energy costs for ratepayers. But, as is usually the case, when the government intervenes in the market it creates distortions which benefit a select few at the expense of everyone else. Innovation and market forces -- not government -- should be the guide.

With rising energy costs facing Indiana families and businesses, the legislature should not create additional regulatory burdens that make it more difficult and costly for utilities to transition to lower cost energy options. Allowing coal plants to retire and transitioning to other forms of electricity generation is often cheaper than continuing to operate old plants. Artificially prolonging the use of coal, rather than allowing utilities to transition to lower cost options, will raise energy costs for all Indianans who thrive economically when the government allows all businesses to compete, rather than put its thumb on the scale.

As the Indiana legislature considers HB 1414, we urge you to vote in opposition to this deeply flawed legislation.

Sincerely,

Leah Vukmir

Vice President of State Affairs

Jessica Ward

Director of State Affairs