Energy ordinance needed in Houston

(This is an open letter to Houston residents.)

On May 22 the Houston City council voted on ordinance 08-03 declaring a public emergency as a result of the crisis of escalating energy cost. Mayor (Sandy) McDonald, Deputy Mayor (Paul) Stout and Councilmen Glen Tilghman and Ralph Buzard voted NO, killing this ordinance.

You are going to hear or read all kinds of reasons why these council members voted against ordinance 08-03 declaring an energy crisis. Please read ordinance 08-03 and make your decision on facts not fiction.

This ordinance would have allowed the City of Houston to request assistance from the State of Alaska, similar to what Fairbanks has done, and identify areas where we could get help with the skyrocketing fuel cost, then request funds to implement these findings for the benefit of all the residents of Houston.

Ordinance 08-03 placed up to $25,000 from the land use account (which is now designated for the building of a new city hall) into a special revenue account for the use, if needed, to hire energy consultants who would identify ways to lower costs in Houston. If these funds were not used they would go back to the land account.

Ordinance 08-03 gave options to Houston: weatherization, energy rebates, mass transit, bio-energy, solar, wind, natural gas, not limiting our options, but expanding options to combat the devastating effect of rising fuel cost.

I would like to thank Councilmembers Lee Himes and Rosemary Burnett, these two voting for ordinance 08-03 to benefit all the residents of Houston.

Roger Purcell, Seat G

Houston City Council