COMMENTARY

“The litigation Howle proposes will increase rates for the customers of Vero Electric, unless it is privately funded. If there is to be a legal challenge to the FMPA, perhaps, together, FPL, the Indian River County Commission and the Town of Indian River Shores could pick up the tab.”

MARK SCHUMANN

Yesterday, Press Journal columnists Larry Reisman described the current level of contentiousness over the stalled electric sales as “madness.” He is certainly right in this observation, just as he is right to have chided Florida Power & Light for “wallowing in the mud.”

FPL, as Reisman reported, indirectly funded the mean-spirited, last minute attack mailers aimed at unseating Amelia Graves and Richard Winger.

Though I have had strong differences with Reisman, I still believe he is the best journalist serving Indian River County. I struggle, though, with the conclusions he has come to on the electric issue, largely because I am convinced they amount to little more than wishful thinking. Reisman is capable of so much better than that.

Reisman and his colleague at the Press Journal share blame for allowing the electric issue to fester and to become so divisive. For several years now, the Press Journal team has perpetuated false hopes that a sale would be possible. For example, when Larry wrote a column arguing the Florida Legislature should disband the Florida Municipal Power Agency, his commentary caused at least some readers, perhaps many, to conclude such a move was within the realm of possibilities. It is not!

Many readers consider Reisman to be thoughtful, intelligent and fair minded. They take seriously what he writes. Reisman is correct is observing that this is all “madness.” Unfortunately, he and his Press Journal colleagues have contributed to the insanity, and to the tragedy of it all.

Blaming the Press Journal’s one-sided reporting on the connection between its publisher, Bob Brunjes, and FPL vice president, Amy Brunjes, is convenient, but it does not fully explain the newspaper’s bias on this issue. In truth, Brunjes is not responsible for the newspaper’s content. The entire news team answers to an editor, who reports to someone at corporate. Truth be told, Brunjes is a publisher in name only. He is, in fact, the chief operating and revenue officer working under the title of “publisher.”

Like it or not, the Press Journal is the community’s newspaper, and the only real hope for widely disseminated, responsible, balanced reporting. The island weekly, Vero Beach 32963, is hopelessly biased, and caters to a barrier island readers, many of whom, quite surprisingly, will believe almost anything.

Speaking of madness, Howle proposes to sue the Florida Municipal Power Agency. Pilar Turner will surely support him in this, though one has to wonder where they will get a third vote. Any such litigation will, by state law, have to first be arbitrated. All of this, of course, will be at the expense of the customers of Vero Electric.

Just as Howle and Turner opposed the revised OUC agreement with its guarantee of lower rates, they will have no problem launching into litigation that will further increase rates. Why? Because, much like religious fanatics, they are obsessed with selling Vero Electric to Florida Power & LIght, at least as obsessed as FPL CEO Eric Silagy is with earning a big bonus for pulling the deal together.

The higher they can drive up electric rates the more public pressure they can create to support the sale. When Turner shared the Council majority with Tracy Carroll and Craig Fletcher, rates went up – substantially. Ever wondered why? The answer is that Turner, Carroll and Fletcher intentionally kept rates high to bolster support for the sale.

Ironically, there might be a logical reason for supporting Howle’s call to arms. At least he and his fellow pro-sale fanatics would get a definitive answer, though is will almost surely not be the answer they seek.

The litigation Howle proposes will increase rates for the customers of Vero Electric, unless it is privately funded. If there is to be a legal challenge to the FMPA, perhaps, together, FPL, the Indian River County Commission and the Town of Indian River Shores could pick up the tab.

Beyond the divisiveness this issue has caused in the community, it is diverting attention from other issues, not the least of which is the Lagoon. This is the larger tragedy.

I hope Reisman will come around to seeing and accepting the role the press has played in perpetuating this “madness,” as he calls it. In the long run, no one will benefit if he and his colleagues continue to inadvertently aid the pro-sale fanatics who are  tearing the community apart. The sooner Reisman and his colleagues help readers understand Howle’s five-point plan is, at best, unrealistic, the sooner other important issues can receive much needed attention.