Brian Shortsleeve for Massachusetts Costly Clean Heat Mandate Must Be Canceled, Not Postponed
BOSTON — Today, Marine Corps Veteran, successful business leader, and proven government reformer Brian Shortsleeve, Republican candidate for governor, blasted the Healey administration for quietly delaying the implementation of the unaffordable Clean Heat Standard (CHS) for political purposes, rather than canceling the mandate completely:
“Let’s be clear: this delay is Maura Healey’s latest cynical political ploy designed to get her through the next election, just like when she delayed offshore wind contracts and the electric truck mandate. Healey knows her expensive mandates will hike energy costs for households and businesses across Massachusetts, so she is kicking the can past the election to avoid taking responsibility at the ballot box,” said Shortsleeve. CHS is a part of Massachusetts’ Net Zero 2050 Mandate, a disastrous policy that has already driven up energy prices for working families and businesses in the state. A recent report by the Fiscal Alliance Foundation found mandates like this across New England will cost ratepayers hundreds of billions of dollars more than more affordable alternatives.
“Rather than confront reality, Healey is playing politics with people’s wallets: delaying mandates now, while planning to bring them back full force after voters have already cast their ballots,” added Shortsleeve. “If this policy were truly affordable or well-designed, she would defend it openly instead of hiding its impact until after the election. It’s cowardly.”
“Massachusetts families deserve transparency and leadership that actually lowers costs, not short-term election-year band-aids. As governor, I’ll put an end to destructive, job-crushing mandates like this once and for all. We need real solutions that make Massachusetts affordable and keep families in this state, not delayed energy taxes that punish ratepayers and small business owners,” added Shortsleeve.