DeSantis tells Biden: Keep your IRA money President Joe Biden is offering one of his White House challengers hundreds of millions of dollars to spend in his state. The only problem: that opponent is refusing to take it. The Inflation Reduction Act makes Florida eligible for some $350 million in energy efficiency incentives. But Gov. Ron DeSantis has rejected the funding and other measures, creating the most prominent blockade by any Republican governor against Biden’s economic agenda. And there’s nothing the White House can do besides hope he changes his mind. The rejection has the potential to create significant ripple effects, politically and economically, in the coming months. As the president and his Cabinet members go around the country boasting about the IRA, rebates for energy-efficient purchases — the majority of the funding that DeSantis has refused — have played a particularly prominent role. That’s not just because they underpin the administration’s climate agenda but because they provide direct rebates to consumers. The IRA allows governors the authority to block a handful of its programs, and with it, the power to blunt the political impact of legislation that some Democrats believe will be a key factor in the 2024 election. Through a veto of his legislature’s request, DeSantis turned down $5 million to set up the rebate program for consumers who buy energy efficient appliances and retrofit their homes. It also effectively blocked $341 million to fund the program because the state would need the administrative money to apply for the program, according to people familiar with Florida’s budget process. However, federal Energy Department rules allow a state to accept the second pot of money even if they don’t take the first. If Florida doesn’t apply for the full $346 million by next August, the law allows DOE to provide Florida’s money to other states. rebuffed the Solar for All program which would have paid to help low-income people access solar panels. DeSantis also vetoed $24 million in grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So far, DeSantis is the only governor to signal that he will block the energy rebates. But on the smaller sums of money, he has company. He’s one of four to turn down pollution mitigation funding from the IRA. The others are the Republican governors of South Dakota and Iowa, and Kentucky’s governor, who is a Democrat. The states that haven’t applied for the solar fund are all led by Republicans. They include Florida, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and South Dakota. The Biden administration has explored ways around the energy rebate blockade but has come up empty so far, according to federal and state officials. The IRA was written in a way that requires the rebates to go through a state energy office. Unlike many federal laws, there is no federal fallback option or way to circumvent an obstinate governor. That leaves the Biden administration hoping Florida will reconsider — and that the IRA funding doesn’t snowball into a political litmus test for GOP governors as Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, and the Obama administration’s high speed rail funding, did a decade ago. So far, the White House hasn’t publicly hit DeSantis by name over the rejection of funds, perhaps in hopes that he changes his mind before time runs out next August. “It’s unfortunate that some officials are putting politics ahead of delivering meaningful progress for hard working Americans,” said White House spokesman Michael Kikukawa. “Despite this, President Biden and his administration are working with cities, counties, businesses, nonprofits, and other entities in the Sunshine State to ensure Floridians benefit from the lower costs and stronger economy delivered by his agenda.” There’s reason to think Florida wants the funds: the state’s energy office requested them and the state legislature approved it before DeSantis vetoed a grant for the program. “It’s clear from Administration conversations with Florida’s state energy office that they want the rebate funding,” said an administration official granted anonymity to speak freely. “After all, that’s why the request for accessing the administrative funding was in the budget line DeSantis vetoed in the first place — because the state energy office asked for it.” Rest: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/30/desantis-refuses-biden-climate-ira-money-00113397
I’m amazed the hurricane force wind can split that giant 100 year old oak in half but the governor’s mansion is still standing?
I haven’t heard or checked with Bobrek recently but from what I remember he is in the Sarasota area. I have some relatives around there and other than heavy rain didn’t get major wind or storm surge.
This is like those states that rejected Medicaid expansion because they didn’t want “socialized medicine!” Many of those states saw much poorer health care outcomes and greater aoending on public health than states that took it. If DeSantis wants to reject the IRA funding it will be the residents of FL that pay more in electricity and suffer from poorer infrastructure
It’s likely the oak already had some weakness, maybe rot in the trunk. It might not have taken a that big of a gust to know it down.
What a dipshit pretender. Not only does he waste taxpayer money to spite other states with publicity stunts, he turns away freely appropriated money to make himself look better with less appreciative voters and not look like a hypocrite when campaigning. Why didn't he turn away FEMA aid? What's the difference? One is from hurricane damage, and the other is a natural disaster named Meatball Ron.
St. Pete got flooded quite badly. Storm surge. one of the reasons I didn't want a house on the intracoastal here in the Greater Miami area
@bobrek hasn't posted for a while. I hope he and his are alright, and his absence comes from a positive decision.
Easy to sort through this... one is a good man, wanting the best for the people in Florida. The other is a spiteful man that only thinks of himself. Y'all can mull over which one is which...
