A tale of two governments (one looking forward; one sliding backwards)... Today, as part of our final budget deliberations, one of the things Im advancing is protecting the citys support for energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. Meanwhile, just last week, the State Legislature passed a backwards bill (SB 310) that makes Ohio the first out of 29 states with renewable-energy standards to undermine its commitment to a clean energy future. If the Legislatures actions seems zany, well, the rhetoric hit the same note. When asked about why a number of Republicans broke ranks and voted against the backwards bill, House Speaker William Batchelder said: I think some people really believe in this green stuff. Does the Speaker know who else believes in this green stuff, in addition to members of his own caucus? The Ohio Manufactures Association believes in this job-creating green stuff. Companies like Honda and Whirlpool, which came out in opposition to SB 310, believe in this economy-growing green stuff. Individual citizens, leading environmental organizations, and cities across Ohio have articulated the negative impact of SB 310, and their belief in the value of this cost-saving, sustainability-increasing green stuff. I cant control what happens at the State level, but as long as I Chair the Citys Committee on Environmental Sustainability, Im going to keep doing all I can to champion smart policies that also increase sustainability, grow jobs, and save cost for tax-payers.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 17:26:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015