Conservatives for Energy Freedom

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Conservatives for Energy Freedom
Conservatives for Energy Freedom.png
Basic facts
Location:Florida
Type:501(c)(4)
Founder(s):Debbie Dooley
Year founded:2014
Website:Official website

Conservatives for Energy Freedom (CEF), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, was founded in July 2014 to support competition and consumer choice in the energy market.[1]

  • CEF took positions on 2016 Florida ballot initiatives that would impact decentralization in the energy market, including the Florida Solar Energy Subsidies and Personal Solar Use Initiative and the Florida Property Tax Exemptions for Renewable Energy Equipment Amendment
  • Mission[edit]

    According to the organization's website, Conservatives for Energy Freedom described its mission as follows:

    We support allowing energy sources to compete on a level playing field in the free market. We believe consumers should determine which energy source is best – not the government nor giant monopolies. We support fossil fuel energy sources but believe that decentralized energy has the best potential to provide choice and competition to government created monopolies.[2][3]

    Background[edit]

    Conservatives for Energy Freedom (CEF) was established in July 2014. The group was organized by Debbie Dooley, founder of the Green Tea Coalition, a conservative movement within the Tea Party that aimed to support consumer choice in the energy market. Similarly, CEF sought to increase competition for government-created energy monopolies and support consumer choice, including access to renewable energy sources.[2][4]

    According to the CEF website, the organization aimed to establish state directors across the country to support the development of a decentralized energy market. As of August 2016, CEF had a state director in Florida.[2]

    As of 2016, CEF was a member of Floridians for Solar Choice, a Florida political committee made up of a coalition of organizations that opposed the Florida Solar Energy Subsidies and Personal Solar Use Initiative, which would give residents of Florida the right to own or lease solar energy equipment for personal use while also enacting constitutional protections for any state or local law ensuring that residents who do not produce solar energy can abstain from subsidizing its production.[2][5]

    Political activity[edit]

    As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, Conservatives for Energy Freedom (CEF) may engage in political lobbying and campaign activities.[6]

    Ballot measure activity[edit]

    CEF has taken positions on Florida ballot initiatives that impact competition and consumer choice in the energy market.[7][8][9]

    “Free market and the freedom to choose — those are core conservative principles,” said Dooley. “Unless you cherry-pick your principles, if you’re a true conservative, this is something that resonates with you. I think the residents are fed up with the government telling them who to purchase their power from.”[10]

    Overview of ballot measure support and opposition[edit]

    The following table details CEF’s ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:

    Ballot measure support and opposition for Conservatives for Energy Freedom
    Ballot measure Year Position Status
    Florida Property Tax Exemptions for Renewable Energy Equipment, Amendment 4 (August 2016) 2016 Supported[8]  ApprovedaApproved
    Florida Solar Energy Subsidies and Personal Solar Use, Amendment 1 (2016) 2016 Opposed[11]  DefeateddDefeated

    Leadership[edit]

    The following individuals held leadership positions with Conservatives for Energy Freedom during the 2016 election cycle:[2]

    • Debbie Dooley, Founder
    • Tory Perfetti, Florida director

    Recent news[edit]

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Conservatives for Energy Freedom. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    See also[edit]

    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]


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