Does Susan Combs Seek To Be Texas’ Energy Czar?

Skip to the Article ↓

Are we the only ones wondering why Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs had her office issue an Energy Report?

Did we miss a piece of legislation that instructed or authorized the Comptroller’s Office to spend state dollars on this report? I hope not, since it appears that this is the stunning conclusion that comes from the 443 page report:

Texas has the resources it needs to meet its energy demands for the foreseeable future, though tomorrow’s fuel mix may be quite different than today’s.The days of near-total reliance on cheap and abundant fossil fuels may be decreasing. Instead, we will rely on a mix of fuels and improved efficiency.

Seriously? Twenty-seven chapters (which we will consent are probably the most beautifully typeset report pages in state history), 443 pages, thousands of footnotes, and a list of contributors that appears to encompass darned near every employee in the Texas Comptroller’s Office and “tomorrow’s fuel mix may be quite different than today’s” is the absolute best they could come up with?

As if that wasn’t enough for you, it appears that another conclusion mentioned earlier in the report basically dismisses all sources of alternative energy altogether:

It is important to remember, however, that there are always tradeoffs to be considered in energy policy.

The fuels we have relied on for decades, despite recent increases in the cost of oil and gas, will continue to be the dominant means to meet specific energy needs. Our current energy infrastructure is designed to take advantage of them. Any policies that discourage their use, directly or indirectly, will likely entail costs to taxpayers and consumers.

I have difficulty believing–unless every single participant in the compilation of this report is a “flat earther”–that Combs would actually make a statement that lawmakers should fear new sources of energy or policies to discourage the use of fossil fuels because of the argument that they will somehow cause tax increases!

If that was not bad enough, then check out what Combs’ missive says the report is intended for:

This report is intended to be a resource for policymakers as they consider such tradeoffs. It provides an overview of a variety of energy sources that Texas can use to meet its future energy demands, with a fact-based assessment of each. Our report frames the critical issues and presents the objective information Texans will need to make informed choices about one of the most important issues facing the state.

So, this report basically provides the kind of information someone can get off Wikipedia? Why the hell not just send lawmakers a memo and ask them to “Google” the term “feedlot biomass?” Isn’t this kind of a report something more appropriately compiled by a legislative research organization, such as the House Research Organization or the Texas Legislative Council? It just seems as though Combs’ office has no place delving into this thicket.

Perhaps it is simply because we have a hard time believing that any report to come out of this Comptroller’s office would provide anything near “objective information” that we hold such a view. Or, perhaps it is because of some of the people interviewed for the compilation of the report:

Jan Caldwell, TXU Power (now Luminant)
Rafael Flores, TXU Power (now Luminant)
Tom Kleckner, TXU Power (now Luminant)
Thomas W. Rose, TXU Power (now Luminant)
Tom Stewart, TXU Power (now Luminant)
Sid Underwood, TXU Power (now Luminant)

That is an awful lot of TXU people working to shape a report that comes to a conclusion that alternative energy sources will cause taxes to go up.

Still, none of this answers the key question: why did Combs’ office compile the report in the first place?

I’m sure that Combs’ snapped her statutory authority to compile such a report from somewhere, but where that is we aren’t sure. What is most likely is that Combs decided she needed a “media boost” and that an energy report would be the best way to get it.

Of course, Combs’ office is not a policy making agency, and isn’t really an energy agency. But hey–pretty, thick reports make for a hell of a press conference.

Written by Vince Leibowitz

If you like what you read here, please consider giving us a tip through Blog Patron or PayPal!

Visit Capitol Annex's Online Book Store!

Popularity: 30% [?]

Vince Leibowitz posted this article under Texas Public Policy & Taxation on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 10:14 am You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed. View Technorati Linkbacks.