Elizabeth Melton
Occupation: Writer, self-employed.
Previous elected offices held: None.
Other community service experience: Chair of Libertarian Party of the Chattahoochee Valley; Deputy Director of the Columbus Chapter of Peachtree NORML; advocate for criminal justice reform; advocate for urban farming and community agriculture.
What is motivating you to run for this office?
The need for Libertarian representation in government offices at all levels.
What is the biggest issue facing the Public Service Commission and how will you address it?
The Public Service Commission regularly penalizes the ratepayers for the bad business decisions of utility companies. I will address it by voting against such measures.
What specific policy would you create or continue to lower utility rates for residential customers?
I would require utility companies to bear the financial responsibility of cleaning up environmental problems that they have created rather than allowing those costs to be passed along to the ratepayer. I would require companies to bear the financial responsibility of dealing with the mismanagement of large-scale projects rather than allowing the ratepayer to be penalized. In times of crisis, such as a pandemic, in which devastating impacts are broadly experienced, I would require companies to absorb their share of those impacts rather than requiring ratepayers, who have also been disadvantaged, to have to make up the difference.
What specific policy would you create or continue to increase Georgia’s use of renewable energy?
I believe the future of renewable energy lies in the freedom of individuals to embrace innovation and free-market solutions outside of the realm of utility companies.