Government Policies Drive Up Energy Costs

RALEIGH (Carolina Journal Online) – As energy costs climb in North Carolina, state lawmakers are contributing to the problem with misguided policies targeting climate change. A new John Locke Foundation Spotlight report delivers that warning.

“North Carolina policymakers regularly express concern about the costs of energy, such as high gasoline prices,” said report co-author Daren Bakst, JLF Legal and Regulatory Policy Analyst. “Yet their actions tell a different story. They would serve the state’s taxpayers and consumers more effectively by focusing on policies to ensure low-cost energy.”

Lawmakers should not ignore North Carolina’s need for low-cost energy, Bakst said. “This is not a luxury,” he said. “Low-cost energy is a requirement to fulfill our most basic needs. Energy is an input for every product we use. Higher energy prices make it more expensive to purchase all of the things we value most, including critical items such as health care, housing, and food.”