Leaders of the national PHCC said at their mid-August utility competition conference in Minneapolis that they would try to convince members to approve a dues increase to raise $150,000 to see that our industry gets a fair shake against utility competitors. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America is seeking to raise $750,000 for the same purpose. The National Coalition for Fair Competition, composed of these and many other trade associations, has been operating behind the scenes for years on your behalf.
Support these efforts. The utility competition issue is at a critical point. A federal deregulation bill is in the early draft stage and probably at least two years away from passage. The exact terms of that legislation will determine whether utilities will compete with you for PHC services on more or less equal footing. Meantime, about half the state legislatures are crafting their own deregulation bills, most of which will probably get enacted into law faster than whatever comes out of Washington.