This week, State Rep. Ken Borton watched with disdain as House Democrats jammed legislation through committee, stripping local control and handing additional power to unelected bureaucrats.  House Bills 5120-5123 passed through the House Energy, Communication and Technology committee Wednesday.

“These bills are a complete disgrace to the people of our district,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “The people elected me to come to Lansing and protect our northern way of life. These bills go against everything I stand for. Lansing bureaucrats don’t know what’s best for the people in my district. You know who does? The local officials who were elected to make important decisions on issues just like this.”

HBs 5120-5123, introduced by House Democrats earlier last week, would give the unelected Michigan Public Service Commission the authority to permit large solar and wind construction, taking control away from local governments. The three-member board is made of governor appointees, and the governor is publicly supporting a plan to add thousands of square miles of new wind and solar farms in rural communities.

“It amazes me the new ways that Lansing Democrats find to drown out the voices of hard-working Northern Michiganders,” Borton said. “This is another example of Governor Whitmer putting her radical green energy initiative onto the backs of our rural friends and neighbors.”

Despite Republican opposition, HBs 5120-23 will now move on to the full Michigan House for further consideration.

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