LETTER: Evers, GOP worked together  to end punishing energy tax

To Ozaukee Press:

Wisconsin families scored a bipartisan victory with the new state budget that eliminates the sales tax on home energy bills year-round. This long-overdue policy change will ease the financial burden on households while promoting smarter energy policy. We applaud both legislative Republicans and Gov. Tony Evers for coming together on this commonsense reform. 

     For decades, Wisconsin’s 5% sales tax applied to home energy—electricity and natural gas—except during the winter months. That meant Wisconsinites paid a tax just to cool their homes in the summer. It was a regressive policy that hit low and middle-income families hardest, especially during extreme weather.

     Removing this outdated tax will make energy more affordable statewide. And in a state where utility bills can strain budgets, the change is expected to save families roughly $170 million over the next two years. It’s the kind of meaningful, lasting tax relief Wisconsin needs.

     To keep energy affordable long term, we must continue to invest in low-cost energy resources like wind, solar and battery storage, as well as modernizing our aging grid. With an all-of-the-above approach, Wisconsin can become a hub for data centers and other large capital investment projects that bring economic growth, jobs and new tax revenue.

     Powering Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum both believe in an energy future that’s reliable, affordable and diverse. This tax cut is a major step in that direction and a reminder that bipartisan solutions are still possible when smart energy policy goes hand in hand with real savings.

Ryan Huebsch

Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum

Peter Mewis

Clean Grid Alliance