Garth Fletcher

I oppose this bill. At present the decision to allow solar abatements is made by individual communities, more than 90% via Town Meeting - which is widely recognized as "the purest form of democracy". An effect of this Bill is to remove authority from those most directly affected by such abatements, the community's tax paying citizens, and to transfer that authority instead to a remote and smaller group. I find this recurring pattern of diminishing our democratic self-rule disheartening and grounds for rejection. I would also point out that decreasing demand on the Grid is in all our interests. It avoids or delays extremely expensive investments in grid upgrades or power plant construction - which costs inevitably add to the electrical rates paid by all. Finally, it seems perhaps a policy of masquerading as fairness while driven by resentment...