To answer Mr. Zimmerman's final question: of course it is. Everything you
have listed is a subsidy, and I did not mean to imply that the
coal/oil/petroleum industry does not get some sort of subsidy and/or
handout.
My only point to Mr. Johnson was that his answers for paying for his
efficient energy sources through "grants and rebates" seemed to roll of the
tongue, so to speak, with such ease, much like merely going outside and
picking some grants and rebates off the grants and rebates bush. His plan,
apparently, is to shift the "grants and rebates" (tax money, for the most
part, though there certainly is private foundation money as Mr. Zimmerman
has pointed out) from one energy industry to another. I'm not a big fan of
subsidizing anything that can't make it on it's own, though I certainly also
concede that government and politics is all about shifting money from one
persons hand to another, especially in this state, with its voracious
appetite to spend and spend and spend.
Greg Reihardt's point still stands: there will be a tremendous need for
capital outlay to implement Mr. Johnson's ideas, and no identified way to
pay for them other than "grants and rebates" (read: tax hikes). I suspect
those people with "Happy to Pay for a Better Minnesota" signs won't mind
ponying up the money, but my taxes are high enough.
Mike Thompson
Windom
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dean Zimmermann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'Michael Thompson'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 8:59 PM
Subject: RE: [Mpls] Mercury Destroying our Bodies and Fish
Mike Thompson asks a good question, he asks " Fine, Mr. Johnson.........
but
one question: who pays for 'grants and rebates'? You don't pick them from
the grant and rebate garden."
It is true that there are some grants and rebates that are provided by
various foundations and government bodies to promote and to get solar
voltaics and wind power started. But, let us not forget about the
subsidies
for coal and petroleum. There is a coal plant in Northeast Minneapolis
that
generates 2.8cents per kilowatt/hour of hidden healthcare costs. That is
quite a subsidy for the coal industry when you consider we are consider
that
we are currently paying 7.5894cents per kWh. Of course that subsidy is
being paid for on the lungs of Minneapolis school children and the rest of
the people of the metro area. And don't forget the subsidies that are
provided for the petroleum industry. How much does it cost to maintain an
army, navy and air force to keep the oil flowing out of Iraq and Kuwait?
That's a subsidy isn't it?
Peace,
Dean Zimmermann
Mpls City Council - Ward 6
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
C: 612-388-1311
W: 612-673-2206
H: 612-724-3888
2200 Clinton Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Surely the most important task for all of us is to leave behind a planet
that is fit for our great grandchildren to live on. So all of our
personal
actions, as well as our political policies, must be tempered with an eye
to
long term sustainability, not short term profit or expediency. As we
struggle to solve the day to day problems -- crime, jobs, budget
shortfalls,
homelessness, traffic congestion, and air quality, we will look to
solutions
that serve both our immediate needs and lay the foundation for the
post-petroleum economy.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
Of Michael Thompson
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 8:19 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Mercury Destroying our Bodies and Fish
Fine, Mr. Johnson......... but one question: who pays for "grants and
rebates"? You don't pick them from the grant and rebate garden.
Mike Thompson
Windom
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 8:15 PM
Subject: [Mpls] Mercury Destroying our Bodies and Fish
Greg Reinhart is mistaken. Solar technology pays for itself in a few
years,
especially when we use grants and rebates and especially when energy
prices
will b skyrocketing as oil is now and especially with the new intertie
inverters and high efficiency modules that are now on the market. He is
probably
thinking what a system would have cost eight years ago when grid tie
technology
was not available and neither were grants and rebates. Solar energy like
wind
energy is now a no brainer, a great investment and most important it
doesn't
produce greenhouse gasses and mercury which will be devastating for
Minnesota
with its 11,000 lakes, rivers and streams. Minnesota could be a leader.
The
energy bill that was just passed is an abomination with windfalls going
to
the oil and coal industry, the worst possible place it could go.
Sincerely, Don Johnson _SolarHardware.com_ (http://solarhardware.com/)
3808
Grand Ave So. Minneapolis, MN 55409 (612) 824 1111
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