If you're a wealthy homeowner who wants a government handout paid for by the state's poorest consumers, you'd better get your solar panels ordered this week.

With $500 billion in unfunded liabilities, a $30 billion deficit just this year, and the nation's most expensive energy costs, the state is finally reducing subsidies that are paid for using added costs borne by everyone who couldn't afford solar panels. It's been an embarrassment for a decade but rich people pretended the money was coming from a magical place - "corporations."

it isn't coming from corporations, those Malibu homes with million-dollar solar installations pretending they are saving the planet are actually hurting people in Compton. A ridiculous incentive let solar panel owners not only get subsidies paid for by poor people up front, the rich get to 'sell energy back' at the same cost they bought it.  That's like government saying if you grow a carrot in your garden you can sell it to Safeway at the same price you'd buy one. But you don't have to pay for lights, trucks or employees and the state makes food for everyone else more expensive to pay you. 

It was not only expensive, it was useless. All those electric cars everyone is being forced to buy due to government fiat aren't charged when it's daylight, they're charged at night using conventional energy. The state has tried to tout how much solar has increased while ignoring the cost. 

But cost can't be ignored now that there are so many wealthy elites already getting a free ride. Poor people are being forced to choose between having their water or electricity shut off because the state refuses to reduce regulations that boost costs of both. Regulations and costs and a do-nothing-except-regulate legislature mean the state has lost an entire Congressional state but instead of recognizing the regulatory and economic burdens, the ruling party tries to blame coronavirus. 

People buy it, Governor Gavin Newsom got nearly 60 percent of the vote in his re-election. In a state that is 70 percent Democrats that is not really a shock, nor is his framing of the net metering change. He says the change isn't to help poor people or penalize his voters that installed solar panels because he promised them a free lunch paid for by poor people, he says it will increase battery usage - and prevent global warming.

In true environmental trial lawyer fashion, Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Working Group are suing over the change. They are just fine with poor people paying more as long as their rich white donors get an envelope full of cash they can donate to environmental groups.

If you already have solar panels, don't worry, they have not changed your grift yet. This is only for people crazy enough to spend money on new installations without a giant handout.