 ccrp poll smar tmeter opt out   you can now comment on stories and polls let us know how you feel about the issues new poll overview consumers energy will be installing 18 million smart meters in the next few years in michigan to replace existing analog meters or as new installs the michigan public service commission has ruled that consumers energy can charge customers who do not want to participate in their smart meter program with a onetime fee of about 69 to install a traditional meter for those who want an existing smart meter to be removed for a more traditional meter consumers energy can charge a onetime fee of about 124 additionally for their customers who choose the optout program and not have the smart meter installed they will be required to pay a monthly fee of 972 a month opponents of the smart meters state the world health organization international agency for research on cancer classified the transmission of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields that are used in smart meters as possibly carcinogenic to humans opponents also cited privacy issues and interference with medical implants and believe the smart meters will not save money and are not environmentally friendly they also want to preserve the customers rights to keep and or restore their analog meters and have the fees eliminated they feel the optout fees are unfair and create a hardship for those on fixed incomes consumers energy officials dispute those claims of health and privacy risks saying smart meters are safe secure and give an array of benefits to customers consumers energy says smart meters will allow residents to see exactly how much energy they are using on a realtime basis and adjust usage to cut monthly bills the michigan house has introduced a bill hb 4315 that would eliminate the opt out fees that the michigan public service commission said the electric utilities could charge customers the bill also contains a number of other limitations in terms of individual privacy related issues regarding the data and information that the utility companies would be tracking and storing a similar bill to hb 4315 was introduced in the last legislative session but never made it out of committee and it is likely that the current bill will see the same treatment by the committee with over 110000 in political donations going to the energy technology committee members in the house new poll question should the mi legislature pass a bill that would allow a smart meter no fee opt out for customers of electric utility companies yes no undecided to vote in this poll click on this link http wwwclintoncountygoporg content shouldlegislaturepassbillallowingsmartmeter e2809cnofee e2809doptoutcustomerselectricutilit  to enter your comments click on add new comment after you vote previous poll question should the mi legislature raise the state sales tax to 7 and use the fuel based portion of the tax exclusively for roads yes 33 20 votes no 57 34 votes undecided 10 6 votes total votes 60 three comments were made on this poll comment 1 salex tax increase for roads yes increase sales tax by 1 with that increase being designated 100 to michigan roads would bring in the revenue everyone benefits and it is a fair way to gain the money what is not right is that michigan taxesatax by charging sales tax on the federal excise tax on motor fuel they need to stop doing that taxingatax is wrong comment 2 state income tax fair and equal the more you make the more you should be willing to contribute for the benifit of all people 3 sales tax we are taxed enough already maybe the governor and the legislature could look for the waste that is already there in the government budget i would be for elimination of the money being given to the corporations to promote public private partnerships let the free enterprise system work that would bring in revenue to the state   all emails addresses  