Tim Echols
Tim Echols | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Baker |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Windy Echols |
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Tim G. Echols is an elected official originally from Clayton County, Georgia who was elected to the Athens-area seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission as a Republican in 2010.[1] He is author of the book “Real Citizenship." Echols founded Family Resource Network, a non-profit firm that helps young families be successful in infant care and parenting. In 1993, Echols created TeenPact to help young people understand state government and public policy.[2] Echols also was the state coordinator from 1992 to 1997 for the National Day of Prayer in Georgia. [citation needed]
TeenPact
Echols, the founder of TeenPact, currently only serves as a non-paid board member. TeenPact, a Christian non-profit leadership institution encourages and trains students to become active in the political process. [citation needed]
Family
Echols is married to Windy Davis Echols and they have 7 children.[citation needed]
Early Life
Echols talks frequently about family and how it has shaped his life. His mom passed away in 2014 and he wrote this tribute to her.[3]
Echols started his political career in high school getting elected to student body president at North Clayton High School in College Park, GA.[citation needed]. Echols met Chick-fil-a's Truett Cathy when he was 17 years old at the Atlanta Airport Rotary Club. Echols said that Mr. Cathy challenged him to become a successful leaders and servant. Echols told Cathy four years later during a job interview that he intended to run for statewide office in Georgia one day. [4]
Political Career
Echols served on Governor Sonny Perdue's office of Children and Families for 5 years. [citation needed] He was treasurer and spokesperson for U.S. representative Paul Broun. [citation needed] In 2009, Echols was campaign manager and senior policy advisor for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine, who lost the Republican primary to Nathan Deal. [citation needed]
In 2010, the 50-year-old Echols won against Democratic candidate Keith Moffett to become a public service commissioner for Georgia after first defeating Republicans Jeff May, John Douglas and Joey Brush.[citation needed] The Georgia Public Service Commission is responsible for helping set electricity and gas rates for consumers as well as regulating pipeline safety.
Political Positions
Echols supports diversity in the energy sources. He believes that hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has given the US a competitive edge in energy production. He has expressed pride that Georgia has begun construction on a nuclear power plant. Additionally, he has expressed opposition to proposed EPA regulations regarding coal usage. [5][6]
During the campaign for office, Echols opposed SB31, a 2008 bill by state lawmakers allowing Georgia Power to collect the finance costs for building a new nuclear power plant from its customers before construction is finished. Additionally, Echols has encouraged the recycling of nuclear waste sitting at over 50 plant sites in the United States.[7] This includes the completion of the Mixed Oxide Fuel facility at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, SC. [8] Echols believes that the French methodology of getting the waste off the plant site and in a safer location is preferable.
Echols is a strong supporter of energy efficiency and he and his family are on a "time of use" plan with their electric plan. He says that they turn their AC units off from 3pm to 8pm each summer day in order to maximize the savings. [9]
Echols is strongly against Cap and Trade legislation as well as the EPA's Clean Power Plan.
Controversies
Echols has been outspoken in support for the late Truett Cathy and Chick-fil-a. [10]
In early 2014, Echols weighed in on the Georgia Right to Life controversy supporting Dan Becker and GRTL's leadership.[11]
In 2014, Echols criticized the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for the adverse impact of their new "Clean Power Plan" on the state of Georgia.[12]
In 2011, Echols created some controversy as "transportation chair" of the PSC by teaming up with the Dept. of Public Safety and conducting a number of stings on "gypsy" limo companies and "rogue" moving companies. [13]
References
- ^ Henry, Ray (November 2, 2010). "GOP's Echols elected to Ga. utility commission". Washington Examiner.
- ^ http://teenpact.com/about/who-we-are/meet-the-founder/
- ^ http://cms.psc.state.ga.us/site/assets/files/1357/a_tribute_to_my_mom.pdf
- ^ http://www.times-herald.com/opinion/20140917-Guest-Echols
- ^ http://cms.psc.state.ga.us/site/assets/files/1450/echols_abc_op-ed_6-27-14_epa_regs_will_hurt_business_and_consumers.pdf
- ^ http://cms.psc.state.ga.us/site/assets/files/1159/scanpic1.jpg
- ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/print-edition/2015/01/02/a-new-year-s-resolution-on-recycling.html
- ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2014/10/21/viewpoint-turning-old-bombs-into-carbon-free.html
- ^ http://wabe.org/post/energy-efficiency-experts-say-georgia-needs-broader-transition
- ^ http://cms.psc.state.ga.us/site/assets/files/1174/20120801.pdf
- ^ http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2014/03/26/a-surprise-bid-to-reduce-the-clout-of-georgia-right-to-life/
- ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2014/12/08/viewpoint-our-expensive-energy-diet.html
- ^ http://cms.psc.state.ga.us/site/assets/files/1206/20110311.pdf
External links, photos and Videos
Video of Echols at CNG station opening
Audio of Echols talking about war on coal
Video of Echols speaking of progress at Plant Vogtle
