In Support of Question 3

Keystone Corporation
October 11, 2018

As our Keystone Corporation website states, “We believe that American enterprise-based policies offer the right direction for the future of Nevada.”  It further states, "Keystone’s leaders do not take their role lightly. They feel an obligation to protect the businesses of Nevada through the selection of pro-business candidates who understand the principles that have made the American free enterprise system the strongest economic force in the world.

One of the ballot measures before the voters in the upcoming election is the Energy Choice Initiative (Question 3).  In fact, Question 3 passed when it first appeared before the voters in 2016 with 72 percent support.  However, our out-of-state monopoly utility, NV Energy, has spent tens of millions of dollars this time around convincing voters that supporting energy choice will be bad for smaller ratepayers (current Nevada law allows for larger ratepayers the ability to ‘leave the grid’ and shop for a more affordable and responsive energy provider).  

At Keystone, this is not a difficult position. We support the free market.  We support competition in the marketplace.  Why? Because competition has worked everywhere it has been tried, in every market, in every location.  Competition with where we buy our groceries, where we buy our cars and the gas to fuel them, where we buy our medicine and health care products, where we buy our office supplies … the reality is that competition ultimately provides a better product, a better service and at a better price.  

For that reason, Keystone Corporation supports Question 3 so that small businesses and residential ratepayers can have the same rights under Nevada law as the large corporations and ratepayers.  If it is good for the large ratepayer to have energy choice, it is good for all Nevadans.  
 

Conservative individuals or entities have no excuse to support a monopoly over the free market.  This is our position at Keystone.  If you want to see how the free market works in a state that offers energy choice, take a look at the Texas Public Utility Commission’s webpage (www.powertochoose.org) which provides choice to consumers throughout the state.  Enter a zip code from San Antonio, Houston, Dallas or Waco and look at the options available to you as a ratepayer.  This is what we want in Nevada.  For all Nevadans.  

Quote of the week

Quote:

“We believe that American enterprise-based policies offer the right direction for the future of Nevada. Keystone's leaders do not take their role lightly. They feel an obligation to protect the business of Nevada through the selection of pro-business candidates who understand the principles that have mad ethe American free enterprises system the strongest economic force in the world.”

Keystone Corporation

October 11, 2018

Allowing Nevada Consumers Energy Choice

Editorial

Las Vegas Review Journal
September 29, 2018

The local TV airwaves have been inundated with advertising warning Nevadans that providing them with the freedom to choose their own electricity provider — which is what Question 3 proposes — is a “risky” scheme. Why consumer choice is seen as a dangerous concept to be avoided is never really explained. Apparently, opponents of the initiative believe it would be much “safer” for the government to limit the number of available products in other areas so as to make it less confusing for consumers. Ladas for everybody!

But it’s worth noting the deceptions inherent in many anti-Question 3 ads. For instance, one common theme is that states which offer their residents more electricity options have higher electricity prices than Nevada. That, however, is a meaningless assertion. Energy costs vary all across the country based on myriad factors. The relevant question is whether states that offer choice saw potential price savings for consumers once they opened the marketplace.

In fact, consumers have generally enjoyed significant savings thanks to competition. The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association estimates that consumer choice saves Ohio residents $3 billion each year. A 2017 study by the Compete Coalition concluded that prices in states with choice increased 4.5 percent less than inflation between 1997 and 2014, while monopoly states such as Nevada saw 8.4 percent increases.

Question 3 — a state constitutional amendment that must be approved twice by voters — passed easily in 2016. But opponents — backed by monopoly energy provider NV Energy and including many progressive environmental groups that would prefer Nevadans be forced to buy more expensive green energy than be afforded choice — have ramped up the attacks as the second vote approaches in November. Yes, change can often be unsettling. But Nevada voters must consider: Do they really believe that quasi-monopolies protected by government deliver better service than robust markets and competition?

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