February 7, 2025
Senator Mike Crapo
Chairman
Senate Finance Committee
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Congressman Jason Smith
Chair
House Ways and Means Committee
1139 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Senator Ron Wyden
Ranking Member
Senate Finance Committee
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Congressman Richard Neal
Ranking Member
House Ways and Means Committee
1129 Longworth House Office
Washington, D.C. 20515
Honorable Chairmen Crapo and Smith and Ranking Members W yden and Neal:
Congratulations to all of you as the 119th Congress convenes and commences its work on behalf of the American people. As mayors, council members and county officials representing over 24,729,785 Americans across our country, we appreciate your leadership and look forward to working with you to help develop a tax code that spurs economic growth and creates well-paying American jobs, supports American energy independence and security, and helps create healthy and thriving local economies.
As you develop the framework of tax legislation, we, the 133 undersigned local leaders, urge you to prioritize the economic and energy future of our communities by preserving all clean energy tax credits available to state and local governments through elective pay (direct pay)1. There are 13 tax credits available to state and local governments, including the qualified Commercial Clean Vehicles tax credit (45W), the Alternative Refueling Property Credit (30C), Clean Electricity Investment tax credit for solar, wind, and geothermal projects (48E), and more2. Repeal, rollback or adjustment of any clean energy incentives will upend countless energy projects and jobs across our country, endangering millions of American jobs, increasing costs for everyday Americans, costing billions in taxpayer dollars, and potentially forcing American jobs overseas.
For the first time, state and local governments, as well as essential nonprofit community organizations – such as houses of worship, hospitals, and schools – can access the same clean energy tax credits as the private sector through elective pay. This has led to major projects in our communities like solar installations for town halls, alternative fueling infrastructure and charging 2 The 13 tax credits available to state and local governments include: 45Y , 48E, 48(e) 48E(h), 45Q, 45U, 48C, 45X, 45W, 30C, 45V , 45Z
1 Internal Revenue Service. Fact Sheet: Clean Energy Tax Incentives: Elective Pay Eligible Tax Credits. Internal Revenue Service.
Attachment 1
stations for local government fleets of electric and alternative fueled vehicles, electric school buses, and more. After one year of direct pay implementation, over 1,200 organizations, including over 500 state and local governments, are already accessing these incentives3.
We are excited about these projects and the benefits they will bring to our communities.
However, as local leaders, we are concerned that repealing these clean energy tax credits could create economic uncertainty in our communities, as it would prevent us from accessing those important benefits. The consequences of this repeal would raise energy costs by $489 a year for families4, result in up to 97,000 net fewer American jobs5, hurt private sector investments, slow economic growth, and make the U.S. less globally competitive.
These tax incentives are not only significant for local governments, but are also essential to our residents and businesses:
● Eighty-five percent of announced investments6 and fifty-three percent of new clean energy jobs have benefited districts represented by Republican Members of Congress7 – highlighting how these clean energy tax credits are benefiting all Americans; ● Over the past two years, companies have announced and advanced over 750 clean energy projects totaling more than 400,000 new jobs, over $422 billion in investments across 48 states and Puerto Rico8; and,
● Overall, the IRA is projected to deliver $2.7 trillion in net economic benefits from 2025 to 20359. For example, Idaho is projected to receive $15 billion of investments and create 6,700 jobs, and Oregon is projected to receive $1 billion of investments and create 880 jobs10.
As local leaders, we look forward to working with you to preserve these vital tax incentives.
We also ask that you consider us as partners in crafting bipartisan policies that ensure economic certainty, job creation, and a clean energy future for local communities. Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,
10 Climate Power. 14 January 2025. The State of the Clean Energy Boom. Climate Power. 9 DiGangi, Diana. 2 January 2025. The IRA will deliver a fourfold return on taxpayer investment, says ACP. Utility Drive. 8 Climate Power. 14 January 2025. The State of the Clean Energy Boom. Climate Power. 7 Climate Power. 14 January 2025. The State of the Clean Energy Boom. Climate Power. 6 E2. 14 August 2024. Clean Economy Works: Inflation Reduction Act Two-Year Analysis. E2. 5 Aurora Energy Research. 6 January 2025. REMOVAL OF TECHNOLOGY-NEUTRAL CLEAN ENERGY TAX CREDITS COULD COST UPWARDS OF $336 BILLION IN INVESTMENT, INCREASE ELECTRICITY BILLS 10% FOR CONSUMERS. Aurora Energy Research.
4 King, Ben et all. 17 December 2024. Trump 2.0: What’ s in Store for US Energy and Climate. Rhodium Group. 3 U.S. Department of Treasury. 13 October 2024. Remarks by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo on Inflation Reduction Act Technical Assistance. U.S. Department of Treasury.
Attachment 1
Alaska
Assembly Member Anna Brawley,
Anchorage, AK
Assembly Member Felix Rivera, Anchorage,
AK
Alabama
Mayor Steven L. Reed, Montgomery, AL
Arizona
Mayor Becky Daggett, Flagstaff, AZ
Councilmember Jenn Duff, Mesa, AZ
Mayor Jorge Maldonado, Nogales, AZ
Mayor Kate Gallego, Phoenix, AZ
Mayor Corey Woods, Tempe, AZ
California
Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Alameda, CA
Mayor Raj Salwan, Fremont, CA
Mayor Rex Richardson, Long Beach, CA
Mayor Matt Mahan, San Jose, CA
Mayor Erica A. Stewart, San Luis Obispo, CA
Mayor Fred Keeley, Santa Cruz, CA
Mayor Ian N. Oglesby, Seaside, CA
Mayor Larry Klein, Sunnyvale, CA
Mayor David Newman, Thousand Oaks, CA
Mayor Martha Guerrero, West Sacramento,
CA
Mayor Kevin Jenkins, Oakland, CA (Interim)
Mayor Chelsea Byers, West Hollywood, CA
Colorado
Mayor Billy Giblin, Nederland, CO
Mayor John I. Clark, Ridgway, CO
Council Member Rachel Hultin, Wheat Ridge,
CO
Connecticut
Mayor Joseph Ganim, Bridgeport, CT
Mayor Caroline Simmons, Stamford, CT
District of Columbia
Chairman Phil Mendelson, Washington, DC
Florida
Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando, FL
Vice Mayor Thomas Good, Pembroke Pines,
FL
Georgia
Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta, GA
Iowa
Mayor Brad Cavanagh, Dubuque, IA
Idaho
County Commissioner Muffy Davis, Blaine
County, ID
Mayor Lauren McLean, Boise, ID
Council Member Tripp Hutchinson, Ketchum,
ID
Illinois
Mayor Katrina Thompson, Broadview, IL
Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago, IL
Mayor Daniel Biss, Evanston, IL
Mayor Jason Ashmore, Sesser, IL
Indiana
City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen, City
of Indianapolis | Marion County, IN
Kansas
Council Member Ben Chociej, Mission, KS
Councilmember Melissa Cheatham, Overland
Park, KS
Council Member Cole Robinson, Prairie
Village, KS
Attachment 1
Mayor Michael Poppa, Roeland Park, KS
Councilmember Jen Hill, Roeland Park, KS
Kentucky
Mayor Layne Wilkerson, Frankfort, KY
Louisiana
Mayor LaToya Cantrell, New Orleans, LA
Massachusetts
Mayor Michael P. Cahill, Beverly, MA
Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston, MA
Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis, Melrose, MA
Mayor Jon Mitchell, New Bedford, MA
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Northampton,
MA
Mayor Dominick Pangallo, Salem, MA
Maryland
Commissioner of Water, Parks, and Recreation
Nina Forsythe, Frostburg, MD
Councilmember Jarrett Stoltzfus, Mount
Rainier, MD
Maine
Council Member Kate Sykes, Portland, ME
Michigan
Mayor Christopher Taylor, Ann Arbor, MI
Mayor David LaGrand, Grand Rapids, MI
Mayor Andy Schor, Lansing, MI
Minnesota
Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz, Burnsville, MN
Council Member Rachel James, Columbia
Heights, MN
Mayor Gary Richter, Comfrey, MN
Mayor James Hovland, Edina, MN
Mayor Jacob Frey, Minneapolis, MN
Council Member Paula Ramaley, Minnetonka,
MN
Mayor John Dahl, New London, MN
Councilmember Steve Slominski, New
London, MN
Councilmember Dominique Nash, New
London, MN
Councilmember Tony Schaeffer, New
London, MN
Mayor Mary Supple, Richfield, MN
Councilmember, Ward 2 Nick Miller,
Rochester, MN
Mayor Kim Norton, Rochester, MN
Councilmember Julie Strahan, Roseville, MN
Mayor Melvin Carter, Saint Paul, MN
Councilmember Brad DeV os, Saint Peter, MN
Councilmember Lona Doolan, St. Anthony,
MN
Councilmember Sue Budd, St. Louis Park,
MN
Council Member Tim Brausen, St. Louis Park,
MN
Mayor Mike Krachmer, Vadnais Heights, MN
Council Member Kelly Jozwowski, Vadnais
Heights, MN
Missouri
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Columbia, MO
County Executive Sam Page, St. Louis
County, MO
Mississippi
Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba, Jackson, MS
Montana
County Commissioner Josh Slotnick,
Missoula County, MT
Commissioner David Strohmaier, Missoula
County, MT
Attachment 1
North Carolina
Mayor Jess Anderson, Chapel Hill, NC
Mayor Vi Lyles, Charlotte, NC
Councilmember; David Joyner, Wilmington,
NC
Nebraska
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Lincoln, NE
New Jersey
Mayor Chris Bollwage, Elizabeth, NJ
New Mexico
Mayor John Ortega, Questa, NM
New York
Mayor Nicola Armacost, Hastings-on-Hudson,
NY
Mayor Robert Cantelmo, Ithaca, NY
Mayor Steve Noble, Kingston, NY
Mayor Michelle Davis Younger, Manassas,
NY
Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, Mount
Vernon, NY
Mayor Thomas Roach, White Plains, NY
Ohio
Councilor Sean Beck, Ada, OH
Mayor Justin M. Bibb, Cleveland, OH
County Chris Ronayne, Cuyahoga County,
OH
Commissioner Matt Joseph, Dayton, OH
Mayor Jack Bradley, Lorain, OH
President, Board of Commissioners Lisa A.
Sobecki, Lucas County, OH
County Commissioner Pete Gerken, Lucas
County, OH
County Commissioner Anita Lopez, Lucas
County, OH
Mayor Judson A. Kline, FAIA, Orange
Village, OH
Mayor Tito Brown, Youngstown, OH
Oregon
Mayor Tonya Graham, Ashland, OR
Mayor Lacey Beaty, Beaverton, OR
Mayor Melanie Kebler, Bend, OR
Mayor Heidi Lueb, Tigard, OR
Pennsylvania
Mayor Yaniv Aronson, Conshohocken
Borough, PA
Mayor Gamal Sherif, Rutledge, PA
Rhode Island
Council Member Jay G. Wegimont, South
Kingstown, RI
Tennessee
Mayor Indya Kincannon, Knoxville, TN
Texas
Mayor Jim Ross, Arlington, TX
Mayor Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio, TX
Utah
Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake City, UT
Virginia
Mayor Juandiego R. Wade, Charlottesville,
V A
Councilmember; David Cummings, Crystal
City, V A
Mayor Danny Avula, Richmond, V A
Washington
Mayor Nigel Herbig, Kenmore, WA
Councilmember Neal Black, Kirkland, WA
Mayor Dontae Payne, Olympia, WA
Attachment 1
Council Member Robert Vanderpool,
Olympia, WA
Councilmember Jim Cooper, Olympia, WA
Mayor Angela Birney, Redmond, WA
Councilmember Melissa Stuart, Redmond,
WA
City Council Vice President Jessica Forsythe,
Redmond, WA
Mayor Bruce Harrell, Seattle, WA
Wisconsin
Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta, Fitchburg, WI
Mayor Eric Genrich, Green Bay, WI
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, WI
Mayor Cory Mason, Racine, WI
Mayor Paul Esser, Sun Prairie, WI
CC:
House Ways and Means Members
Senate Finance Members
House Budget Committee Members
Senate Budget Committee Members
Attachment 1