Received this e-mail today from Matt Dunne’s (D. VT) gubernatorial campaign:
If I told you that in my first year as governor we will set up a program that creates jobs all across Vermont and seriously reduces our carbon footprint...all without dipping into the general fund to pay for it, you would think I was dreaming.
Well guess what -- I’m not.
Let me start from the beginning. Today is Earth Day, and I don’t need to tell you that as our planet warms, Vermont will suffer. Our snowfall will become erratic, sugaring seasons inconsistent, and it will be harder to stem the spread of algae as the average temperature of our lakes rise. We must do our part to combat climate change.
I also don’t need to tell you that our economy is hurting. Bennington County has seen a 50% increase in the number of people in poverty, and 10% of kids in North Hero are homeless. Poverty is rising -- contributing to addiction and depression -- and we are at risk of leaving our kids in a much more difficult situation than we had as children growing up.
That’s why I’m proposing a Green Jobs Initiative. Here’s how it works: using $100 million of revenue bonds, we put many, many people to work across Vermont making multi-unit residential buildings across the state more energy efficient. These buildings are in relative disrepair -- but because utility costs usually get passed on to tenants, there is little motivation to improve them. (Until now.)
Once the buildings become more efficient, tenants will see a large savings in their utility bills -- as they say, the cheapest kW of energy is that kW you don’t use. Part of this savings will go to the tenant, and part will be diverted to paying down the bonds -- it’s that simple. And it’s worth reiterating -- because they are revenue bonds, we won’t need to dip into the general fund to finance it.
Click here to like and share our Green Jobs Initiative post on Facebook.
The Green Jobs Initiative will be a win for tenants who will have more cash in their pockets; win for landlords whose property values will go up; win for our economy as people across the state become gainfully employed; and just as importantly, a win for our planet.
When I was working for Google out of an office in White River Junction, I was part of a team that set up a similar program in New York City. I know how it’s done, and I say, now it’s Vermont’s turn.
Thank you for your support,
Matt
P.S. Want more proof? Look no farther than the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, a world leader in proving that efficiency projects like this are both good for the environment, AND the economy.
Click here to spread the word.