For Immediate Release

Monday, August 10, 2015

Contact:
Sarah Bascom, sarah@bascomllc.com, 850.294.6636
Kristen Bridges, kristen@bascomllc.com, 850.545.1917

Consumers for Smart Solar Raises More Than $460K in First Month
Smart Solar Amendment Outraises Shady Solar Amendment in July by Nearly $304K
Orlando, Fla. Consumers for Smart Solar a diverse, bipartisan coalition of business, civic and faith
leaders today announced it raised $463,045 in July 2015. In addition to outraising Floridians for Solar
Choice by $303,584.50, Consumers for Smart Solar raised its funds from a broader base of major donors
from across the political spectrum. By contrast, to date Floridians for Solar Choice, sponsors of the
Shady Solar Amendment, has received 77 percent of its total funding from one out-of state special
interest group, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund.
We are excited that right out of the gates we have outraised the Shady Solar Amendment by nearly
$304,000, said Consumers for Smart Solar Spokesperson Sarah Bascom. This is a testament to our
transparent, diverse group of supporters who have come out in opposition to the Shady Solar
Amendment and in support of our Smart Solar Amendment that is designed to give Florida voters a better
choice for solar on the 2016 General Election ballot. The Consumers for Smart Solar major
contributors include the Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Florida Faith & Freedom Coalition,
National Black Chamber of Commerce and the 60 Plus Association.
The degree to which a single out-of-state special interest group and its mystery donors are trying to
influence energy policy by amending Floridas Constitution has already raised a lot of eyebrows.
According to a recent Florida Center for Investigative Reporting article, Its not easy to trace the
source of the money being given to the pro-solar initiativeMost of the contributions to Floridians for
Solar Choice, totaling $264,457, came from the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Action Fund, which
does not report the source of its money.
The articles goes on to say that George Cavros, a Fort Lauderdale lawyer [and treasurer of Floridians
for Solar Choice] who works for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said the group will not reveal
the source of the money to protect the privacy wishes of individual donors.
Additionally, the article points out the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has claimed in filings with
the Federal Elections Commission that it does not participate or intervene in any political campaign
and therefore does not need to report its funding sources. Its a position that has earned the group
criticism for its use of dark money spending to indirectly support political campaigns.

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Todays campaign finance reports are added momentum for Consumers for Smart Solar. In addition to
announcing a diverse group of funders and coalition members, a recent independent survey of Florida
voters shows that Floridians widely favor the groups Smart Solar Amendment. In fact, 66 percent of
voters polled by Mason-Dixon said they would support our Smart Solar Amendment that establishes a
right under Floridas constitution for consumers to own or lease solar equipment installed on their
property to generate electricity for their own use, compared with just 22 percent who would not. By
contrast only 30 percent of Florida voters support the Shady Solar Amendment offered by the out-ofstate solar industry, with 45 percent opposing it.
To view the Floridians for Solar Choice campaign finance report, please click here. To view the
Consumers for Smart Solar campaign finance report, please click here.
For more information on Consumers for Smart Solar, please visit SmartSolarFL.org, follow
@SmartSolarFL and like FB.com/SmartSolarFL.
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Paid political advertisement paid for by Consumers for Smart Solar, 2640-A Mitcham Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32308.