The Port Charlotte Sun published Florida Veterans for Common Sense member, Coty Keller’s, Letter to the Editor, DeSantis holding on to EV charger millions on Saturday, July 27, 2024. Send a Letter to the Editor to the Port Charlotte Sun in support of Coty’s.

Editor:

Governor DeSantis and the Department of Transportation are trying to pull the wool over our eyes about expanding electric vehicle charging stations. Part culture wars, part satisfying the influence of utility companies, and all at the expense of smaller businesses and EV drivers.

A July 18 Florida Phoenix article by Craig Pitman explains how Florida sits on almost $200 million in federal EV money that could provide more chargers. The $200M would go to gas stations, convenience stores, and business owners who want to get into EV charging.

So far, Florida’s EV charging program has benefited the powerful utility companies. DOT’s website says that Florida values the free market. But, while sitting on federal funds that would help small businesses get their start in EV charging, the state has also allowed powerful electric utilities like Florida Power & Light to use ratepayer funds to build, own, and operate its own EV charging network, further discouraging free market competition.

If Florida doesn’t use the federal money to build out charging infrastructure, then DeSantis is in essence cheating his own state’s residents of getting something in return for their tax payments. Instead, we’re paying for the chargers in other states.

William “Coty” Keller
Port Charlotte

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