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Ban The Public Benefits Charge
Stand Against Unjust Charges
OBJECTIVE: To initiate legal action against the State of Connecticut's Combined Public Benefit Charge, which is ambiguous and now constitutes upto 30% of ratepayers' electric bills.
HISTORY: The public benefits charge has been a minor fee on bills for years but has recently escalated by bureaucrats indifferent to the people they serve. This lack of restraint is unconstitutional, and we must stop it to prevent issues.
GOAL: We believe that this is a clear violation of First Amendment rights! We also these unconstitutional fees may be in violation of the 5th and 14th Amendments, including the Takings Clause and Due Process. Let's start with the 1st Amendment. Many residents feel left out of the conversation, as they have no voice at the bargaining table due to this fund. The state government has crossed the line, taking advantage of Eversource ratepayers who are struggling under the weight of outrageously high fees for a service that doesn't benefit everyone. Let's rally together for change!
LEGAL SUPPORT: At the moment, we are working with Atkinson Law located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. We hope to get more support as we try to create a consortium of legal experts on the matter as well, but this is the first step.
HOW: With your support we look to raise capital in two or more phases.
PHASE I: Enables Atkinson Law to conduct due diligence investigation that will determine how to move forward.
THE NEED: $15,000 [FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS]
PHASE II: Atkinson Law concludes it can build a strong case and begins the legal filing.
THE NEED: $150,000.00 [ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS]
PHASE III: We hope the Connecticut court acknowledges the people's plea, making Phase III unnecessary. The court of public opinion holds power, and we are optimistic. If escalation to the U.S. Supreme Court is needed, we'll outline the related expenses. This effort requires collaboration, and even small contributions can make a difference.
STICKER SHOCKED:
That’s perfectly understandable; So were we! We get it. It is a lot of money. We sought a number of firms to no avail. Now we have one.
THE NUMBERS DONT LIE " Many hands make light work. " - Between the BAN PUBLIC BENEFITS FACEBOOK PAGE and the 63K in petitioners, we are over 80,000 strong. If only 20% contributes $10 ea. The Math - 16,000 people x $10 = $160,000 (Less the go fund me fees.)
GOAL 1 is PHASE I Your support is crucial. We've gathered 63,000 signatures for a petition to the Governor, but it seems to have been overlooked. administration has its priorities—just not ours! We're over 80,000 strong, ready to make an impact! Let’s do this!
The bottom-line; We have two options: Either we complain about the problem or take action to be part of the solution.
OUR OPTIONS:
Option 1: Do nothing and continue to endure these oppressive measures without resolution, while allowing the State Government to impose and raise this excessive charge whenever they choose, with no end in sight.
Option 2: We must fight back and put our best foot forward. It’s no secret that this state will continue to take advantage of the people as long as remain passive. Therefore, I, along with many others, say: let's fight back everything we have.
THE PERSPECTIVE: Because of you! This collaborative effort Connecticut residents has reached over 80,000 people who are tired of being mistreated this issue. This isn’t about clean energy; it’s about our representatives not representing us! WE ARE THE PEOPLE. One of the founding principles of the United States of America is as follows:
“If we advert to the nature of republican government, we shall find that the censorial power is in the people over the government, not in the government over the people.”
– James Madison (Father of the Constitution)
See also Article 4, Section 4, and Article 6, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.
As stated above, many hands make light work. While the sticker price may be shocking it pales in comparison to Option 1, which is far worse. We simply cannot afford to allow Option 1 to continue, as it is guaranteed to burden households across the state, particularly impacting the tax-paying base.
Going into this we know that 100% of the people who signed the initial petition will not contribute. While it would be wonderful if they did, Unfortunately, it’s unlikely for several reasons. One major reason is that many individuals are already financially strained and struggling due to this excessive abuse of power.
We are asking for a contribution of $20. If you can contribute less, that’s perfectly fine! Every bit helps in our collective effort. On the other hand, if you can contribute more, that would be remarkable! Your generosity will make a significant difference to those who are unable to contribute.
Click here to assist in completing Phase I today!
ONCE I CONTRIBUTE WHERE DOES MY MONEY GO? All funds will be deposited into a legally managed escrow or trust account, to ensure every penny is accounted for. These funds will be used to enable the legal team to take action and will be drawn upon by Atkinson Law in phases as needed accordingly.
WHY DOES IT SEEM SO EXPENSIVE? This undertaking is significant and may reach the State Supreme Court. PHASE I necessitates thorough due diligence to establish a strong case. Atkinson Law has informed us that any potential litigation will encounter considerable technical challenges The primary issue identified is whether the combined public benefit charge is classified as a tax. If it is deemed a tax, challenging it in court wont happen. Conversely, if it is not a tax, our chances of success improve significantly. The terminology used by the state regarding this charge is not conclusive or reliable. To provide a comprehensive opinion and justify the considerable expenditure for litigation, the attorney has indicated that he and his team will need to invest time reviewing legislative debates and related materials to accurately determine the nature of the charge Unfortunately, he does not have the resources to conduct this investigation pro bono.
WHAT IF THERE ARE EXCESS FUNDS? All funds will either be returned equally to all donors or we will vote on the top 10 non-profits to enter a drawing, with up to 3 receiving the funds.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Our team of volunteers understands the importance of keeping everyone informed. We will be posting updates on our progress to the established Facebook page called “BAN PUBLIC BENEFITS CHARGE.” This will include messages and Facebook Live feeds.
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