Poll: Voters reject high costs of proposed regulations
Madison – Wisconsin’s Chamber of Commerce, WMC, is announcing the results of a study showing that President Obama’s proposed carbon regulations will increase electricity prices, thus threatening jobs, and that a recent poll finds widespread public opposition to the proposal.
According to the comprehensive analysis and report from NERA Economic Consulting, President Obama’s plan, which received the endorsement of Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Mary Burke, will cause electricity prices in Wisconsin to increase by an annual average of 14-15% during each year between 2017 and 2030. The report also found that under one likely scenario, natural gas prices would increase by as much as 29% nationally.
“Wisconsin families will be particularly hard hit by the President’s proposal,” said Eric Bott, WMC Director of Environmental and Energy Policy. “More expensive electricity will make it harder for Wisconsin manufacturers to hire people, and higher natural gas prices will mean tough times for thousands of families during Wisconsin’s cold winters. It’s not surprising that the proposal being touted by President Obama and Mary Burke isn’t popular with voters.”
WMC is also announcing the results of a national survey that found a majority of 1,340 likely voters believe that the United States cannot afford higher energy costs and job losses as a result of President Obama’s proposed carbon regulations. The President’s plan was opposed outright by a plurality of surveyed voters (47%) and received strong support from only 19% of voters. Other key findings from the survey were:
- Nearly 4 in 10 voters are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the EPA regulations: 39% of voters are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the regulations while 22% are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the regulations.
- Nearly half of voters (45%) say they are not willing to pay a single dollar more in their energy bill to accommodate the EPA regulations.
- A majority of voters believe the United States cannot afford new costs and potential job losses resulting from the EPA regulations.
Click here for the poll details.
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