July 14, 2014
Ohio

‘Clean energy’ group gets OK to collect signatures for ballot issue

By Jackie Borchardt, Northeast Ohio Media Group | July 14, 2014 | www.cleveland.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The group backing an effort to spend billions on green energy initiatives got the green light Monday to collect signatures required to put the proposal on a statewide ballot in 2015 or later.

The bipartisan Ohio Ballot Board approved constitutional amendment language for the Ohio Clean Energy Initiative. The group Yes for Ohio’s Energy Future now must collect more than 385,000 signatures of registered Ohio voters to qualify for a statewide ballot.

The proposed amendment would require $1.3 billion be spent each year for 10 years on infrastructure, research and site development for solar, wind, geothermal and other alternative energy sources. The money would come from state-backed general obligation bonds.

The Ohio Energy Initiative Commission – a limited liability company registered in the state of Delaware – would decide how the money would be spent without help from state lawmakers. The commission would be subject to Ohio’s public records laws.

Yes for Ohio’s Energy Future has submitted language for the amendment four times since 2012. The signature submission deadline to qualify for the November 2014 election has passed.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/07/14/clean-energy-group-gets-ok-to-collect-signatures-for-ballot-issue/