The Virginia-Pilot

Letters for Oct. 31: Thank you Centura College and Sentara Health for the medical assistant scholarshipprogram

Letter writers express thanks to Centura College and Sentara Health for addressing themedical assistant shortage, recognize state Sen. Monty Mason for his vote for electric customers, and argue the Republican Party needs to purge non-statesmen.

Way to go 

Recently, my organization sent mailers applauding state Sen. Monty Mason of Williamsburg forsupporting common sense legislation that will save Virginia residential electric customers $7-$14 on their monthly power bills while strengthening regulatory oversight of electric companies.

Specifically, the law will save Dominion Energy customers $350 million by eliminating several “riders” —or additional project fees on a customer’s electric bill — and simplify the billing process.

The legislation also prevents state regulators from having to add costs to electric bills to account forunanticipated cost overruns, like the recent increase in cost of steel and solar panels. This fix will help ensure people are paying for the electricity they use today — not getting hit with fees for something that happened in the past.

This bipartisan legislation also allows for much needed investments in a secure and safe energy grid.Affordable and reliable energy will improve lives and create a stable business environment to spur jobgrowth. The mailers were sent to voters in the districts of Virginia lawmakers — a Democrat and a Republican — who showed leadership to pass this important legislation.

With all Virginians coping with higher living costs, we should be grateful to lawmakers like Mason, who backed legislation to lower electric bills in the commonwealth.

Gary Meltz; executive director, Power for Tomorrow; Washington D.C.