Turner perpetuates urban legend

COMMENTARY

“What you will never hear Turner, or any of her allies and supporters acknowledge, is that Florida Power & Light reported to the Florida Public Service Commission fuel hedging losses of $3.6 billion, ($3,600,000,000) between 2003 and 2013. (See: FPL loses $3.6 hedging fuel prices)”

MARK SCHUMANN

At yesterday’s City Council meeting, Councilwoman Pilar Turner presented a resolution in which she accused Florida Municipal Power Agency leaders of engaging in “speculative practices and mismanagement.”

In the back-up material for her motion, Turner also asserted that the will of Vero Beach voters has been “blocked.” She did not explain that what stands in the way of FPL’s effort to acquire Vero Electric, and eventually other municipal utilities, is well established contract law, not to mention the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.

In a cause that long ago ceased to be justified by reason and facts, Turner and her pro-sale allies now perpetuate the myth that the FMPA, and the FMPA alone, engaged in “risky” fuel hedging that lead to substantial losses.

What you will never hear Turner, or any of her allies and supporters acknowledge, is that Florida Power & Light reported to the Florida Public Service Commission fuel hedging losses of $3.6 billion, ($3,600,000,000) between 2003 and 2013. (See: FPL loses $3.6 hedging fuel prices)

Turner’s one-sided presentation of the facts is perpetuated by equally one-sided reporting in the local press. What no one talks about is the fact that Vero Beach leaders continue to ignore Legislation sponsored by the late Stan Mayfield calling for a vote among Vero Electric’s customers on forming a utility authority.

Turner’s thin slice of the truth was offered up in a motion calling on the City Council to join the County Commission in supporting new legislation introduced by State Rep. Debbie Mayfield to provide for PSC oversight of municipal utilities.

Among Florida’s municipal electric utilities, Vero Beach is unique, in that 60 percent of its customers are located outside the city limits. Because these customers do not vote in Vero Beach’s municipal elections, they also do not have a voice in the running of their utility.

Theoretically, customers of the state’s investor-owned utilities are protected by the PSC. Skeptics, however, argue the PSC is little more than a “confederation of yes men and women,” all but rubber stamping rate hike requests. (See: At PSC – a confederation of yes men and women) (See also: Florida PSC called corrupt by former chair).

Sounding well-coached, Turner and newly-elected Councilman Harry Howle insisted Mayfield’s bill calls for transparency at the FMPA and nothing more. In truth, though, all the financial information they claim to seek through legislation is already available through public records requests.

What Turner and her allies strongly oppose is any language suggesting the objective of Mayfield’s bill is to further the proposed sale of Vero Electric to FPL. After all, no one wants to be accused of interfering in existing contracts.

Turner’s resolution passed 5-0. With a 5-0 vote, no one on the Council can later be accused of obstructing supposed efforts to lower rates.

Though it may be easy to lose sight of this fact, Vero Beach is not the center of Florida. Beyond Vero Beach and Indian River County, there are 30 other cities across the state that own their electric utilities. Nearly all of them are sure to oppose Mayfield’s bill.

While Turner got her way on a resolution supporting Mayfield’s bill, she was unable to convince her fellow council members to appoint her as Vero Beach’s representative to the FMPA. Councilman Randy Old will continue to represent the City on the FMPA’s governing board.

FMPA Member Cities: