Iowa wants you to pay utilities even if you are totally off-grid and don't use grid power.

[Deleted member 783]

I use 25,000 gallons a month ? (irrigating a small tree farm)

 

[Wiley]

Ped, Yes very close on that though it varies. Now that being said I have sailed from Hawaii to the mainland and from Hawaii to the Marquesas each passage with an onboard tankage of 76 gallons (not including two five gallon bailout/change of lifestyle plastic jerry cans). Here in the PNW water is inexpensive or if you spread a tarp ...free. So yes, when necessary I can conserve with the best of them. My 2400 gallons will allow me to give water to neighbors who need it (and have kept their heads in the sand regarding need to be prepared) should that need ever arise.

But again that being said, I live in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mtns. Fifteen miles south of me and one gets 40 plus inches a year (as does Seattle) we get in the low twenties. Now here it gets interesting...most communities where they switch from wells to municipal water the "powers that be" force everyone to cap and close off their wells and there is good reason for that. However, we get our "municipal water" (aka "city water") from wells off island so we get to keep our private wells. When I dug and then filled my pond I used city water... 50K gallons and the cost was slightly over $200. I wasn't going to draw that much water from our island aquifer. Just because others have issues with water (ie they draw the water they drink and wash their cars with water from ancient aquifers) we get our water from the sky. We don't feel we have the same need to conserve, and in one sense when I turn the tap I am bringing water to my island.

Thus in my case (and many I suspect) on demand hot water heaters. Four daughters and no limit on their shower time equals less strife. I'm old and the daughters all have families and I have grandkids...although they take it for granted now, they enjoy visiting as we have no real restrictions on water. The wildlife, and quiet and clear night sky are other factors too.

 

[Ped]

I wasnt shaming, just to be clear. Simply amazed that a home uses that much. My RV is the only time ive actually did an audit of water usage.

 

[SalckwareRobert]

This is more like england's TV tax, they don't care if you don't watch tv, PAY!!!!
Just look at democrats demanding fuel efficient cars. Now they wine they don't get enough gas taxes.

 

[SalckwareRobert]

When government backs the monopoly power companies, government has a responsibility to ensure their investment continues to milk, I mean profit production. Otherwise the general population that does not have a grid tied system could have to pay more for their power... because the power company might have to roll blackouts to the population taking everybody down...

???? doesn't comifornia ALREADY do rolling blackouts. Also turns off the water and arrests you for watering your lawn. LOL
I guess cleaning ash off solar panels is a summer chore there as well.

 

[John Frum]

This is more like england's TV tax, they don't care if you don't watch tv, PAY!!!!
Just look at democrats demanding fuel efficient cars. Now they wine they don't get enough gas taxes.

Last time I checked(which was a while), its a licensing fee not a tax and you don't have to pay unless you use the service.
UPDATE: just checked again https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom

 

[JeepHammer]

No joke.

March 2019.

A bill to let Iowa utilities charge a new fee to customers who install solar panels is among the policy proposals that have cleared a procedural deadline in the legislature.

Senator Michael Breitbach, a Republican from Strawberry Point, said it’s fair for all customers to pay for the maintenance of utility infrastructure. “The average, everyday person can understand how the utilities have a cost for lines, poles and transformers,” Breitbach said during today’s Senate Committee Committee meeting. “The solar customer uses those features…to transmit the power out and get power back in when they’re not producing.”

Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, said the bill is a “power grab” by the state’s investor-owned utilities.

“Iowa’s largest utility monopoly is trying to pull the plug on Iowa’s growing solar industry by creating a new ‘sun tax,'” Bolkcom said. “The new sun tax will kill good jobs and make it virtually impossible for Iowa businesses, farmers (and) homeowners to continue to cost effectively invest in generating their own power.”


https://www.radioiowa.com/2019/03/0...or-iowa-solar-panel-owners-clears-committees/

Iowa solar power incentives: https://www.energysage.com/solar-panels/solar-rebates-incentives/ia/

Can't blame anyone but themselves for NOT voting on issues like this and voting for political parties/personalities.

This is, completely and totally, corporate welfare by legislation.
It's *Supposed* to be illegal, wouldn't pass a Constitutional challenge (taxation without representation/benefit).
Since the utilities aren't state owned, and you aren't benefiting from said utilities, you *Shouldn't* be taxed to pay for said private, FOR PROFIT ENTERPRISE...
This is 'Capitalism'. Profits are privatized, losses are socialized by the taxpayer.

In a 'Free Market' the utility would be allowed to fail, rather than be supported by folks that aren't using it.
Users that directly benefit from the power utility *Should* pay whatever it takes to support that utility.

What you are writing about is the economic version of Communism.
It's not like property taxes for roads which all use, and everything you don't find on your land comes in on,
Or an education system that everyone benefits from directly or indirectly,
It's simply legislative extortion to support a private, for profit business, which off grid you aren't benefiting from.